


Woken

by tolieawake



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: ABO, Alpha!Sean, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, M/M, NIck is suitably concerned by Sean's stay in the hospital, Nick helps Sean live, Omega!Nick, Sean's kisses cure things, and Nick needs curing, because he's a Prince, but Sean does ask for permission, could be seen as questionable consent due to heat, everyone assumes Nick knows about the Omega one and has been one for years, he doesn't, he hasn't, heat - Freeform, in order to get his powers back, kind of a re-write of the end of s3 and beginning of s4, rather than how they did in it in the show, so no Jack the Ripper, which Adalind took away using a zaubertrank
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-08-18 13:11:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8163143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tolieawake/pseuds/tolieawake
Summary: There is a curious fact of life amongst wesen that also affects the grimms who hunt them. That is, that almost every wesen (and grimm) will display a secondary gender or dynamic - that of Alpha, Beta or Omega. This is something they are taught from a very young age. But Marie never taught Nick about being a grimm, or what he could be. And, for some reason, he never presented. 
Then Adalind uses a zaubertrank to remove his powers, the captain is shot, and Nick finds out there's a way to return his powers. Seems all those fairytales weren't enitrely crazy when they talked of the kiss of a Prince being the cure for a witch's spells. Only - it seems the Prince's kiss has woken more in Nick than just his grimm powers.





	1. Changing

**Author's Note:**

> I use a few 'german' names for zaubertranks, etc in this, which were created by typing words into google translate and picking some. So, apologies for the bad german.
> 
> Also, my thanks to the grimm wiki, which I used for some of the lines which were taken directly from some of the episodes to be used in this. Such a wonderful repository of transcripts.
> 
> Please note that I have changed some things for this fic - such as how Adalind removes Nick's powers, and how Sean is saved from dying. 
> 
> Finally - if you've never read ABO fic before, please be warned that many people often consider it dub-con as one of the main ideas behind it is that Omegas go into Heat - which makes them incredibly horny and crave sex with an Alpha. As always, I believe firmly in consent, and hope to portray that through my writing. So, while it doesn't quite get to that stage in this chapter, be aware that, most likely in the next chapter, Nick is going to be seriously wanting some sex, based on his body's reaction to heat. I promise that Sean will be asking permission first, but there will be that question of whether or not Nick would have sought him out if not in heat.

“Nick? You okay?”

 

Glancing up, Nick looked over to Hank, who was staring at him with concern. Grimacing, Nick shifted in his seat once more. “Yeah,” he said, “I’m fine.”

 

“You don’t look fine.”

 

He didn’t feel fine. Making a face, Nick waved one hand. “I’m sure it’ll go away soon,” he said.

 

“What is it?”

 

He paused, wondering just how to describe the weird feelings that had been growing throughout the day, before mentally shrugging and deciding to just do his best.

 

“I feel like someone has stabbed me with a knife and is twisting it in my guts,” he said. Hank grimaced.

 

“That sounds unpleasant.”

 

The look Nick gave him was somewhere along the lines of a rather vehement ‘you think?!’

 

“How long have you been feeling like this?”

 

Wincing as the knife twisted once more, Nick shook his head. “It started maybe an hour ago,” he admitted, “but it wasn’t so bad then, just an ache. It’s been getting worse.”

 

Lines etched their way across Hank’s face as he considered Nick. “And you can’t think of anything that would have started it?”

 

“No,” Nick replied. “Apart from this,” he gestured at himself, “the day’s been surprisingly normal.”

 

“If it continues -”

 

“If it continues,” Nick cut him off, “I’ll go see a doctor.”

 

Hank frowned, but figured he wasn’t going to get much more from Nick at that time.

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

“You really couldn’t see us?” Monroe asked.

 

“No,” Nick replied. His heart beat fast in his chest and he wasn’t quite sure whether it was fear or excitement or something else. He couldn’t see their woge.

 

Monroe and Rosalee shared at glance.

 

“It’s what she did to you,” Trubel cut in, “You were supposed to drink the stuff in the bottle. He said something bad was gonna happen if you didn’t.”

 

“Who?” Hank asked.

 

“Your – your Captain,” Trubel explained, “he came to the house after you left – said Adalind did something to you. And then he got shot, and I had to kill this other guy.”

 

“The Captain got shot?” Nick demanded.

 

“Yeah,” Trubel said, nodding her head. “I don’t know who it was – some hundjager.”

 

Nick was already moving towards the door. “We need to get back,” he said.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Breathing determinedly through his mouth, Nick forced himself to focus on something other than the pain churning in his gut. Any time he tried to even think of a way of describing it, he felt like he was being slightly hysterical and  over-dramatic – but there was simply no other way  _to_ describe it.

 

Someone was slicing him open from the inside. There was a knife twisting inside him. Someone was playing soccer with his guts, kicking them around his insides.

 

“Nick?”

 

He glanced up at the sound of the Captain’s voice, realising that h is thoughts had wandered once more.

 

“Captain,” he said.

 

Renard frowned at him. “Are you okay?” he asked. “You don’t look so good.”

 

Nick forced out a smile that was more of a grimace than anything else. “I’ll be fine.”

 

“Which is what he said an hour ago,” Hank put in, sharing a concerned look with the Captain.

 

“Perhaps you should take the rest of the day off?” Renard suggested. For some strange reason, Nick had the impression that the Captain was trying not to breath too hard in his direction. He thought perhaps he should be offended. But, instead, he just seemed to feel an indefinable kind of thrill at the thought.

 

“I,” he began, before pausing as his insides twisted around themselves violently. He let his breath out in a _woosh_. “I guess you’re right,” he said, giving them both an apologetic look.

 

“Hank,” Renard said, “drive him home?”

 

“Of course,” Hank agreed.

 

“Hey,” Nick protested, pushing himself upright despite the way there was now what felt like a knife trying to carve away at him. “I can drive myself.”

 

“Not like that, you can’t,” Renard refuted, gaze serious as he looked Nick over. “You may want to speak to Rosalee if it keeps on this bad.”

 

Nick nodded – deciding that it wasn’t worth the effort to keep arguing, and also because he’d already been thinking of contacting his friend –  the pain wasn’t like anything he’d ever felt before.

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

“Captain!” Nick cried, pushing his way into Renard’s hospital room. He’d only been gone for a moment, barely having left the captain’s side since he was admitted to the hospital. The strong man he knew lay still and pale on the bed. Far too still, and far too pale.

 

Unconsciously, Nick reached out, taking his captain’s hand. He ignored all the medical staff bustling around him. Ignored their attempts to get him out of the way. Ignored their desperation as they worked on the dying man. All his attention was focused on Renard. Willing him to be okay.

 

The world stopped.

 

Glancing up, Nick turned to see a woman he’d never met before. She gazed back at him, considering him, before her eyes suddenly lightened, and she smiled.

 

“Do you want to help him?” she asked.

 

“Of course,” Nick replied. He didn’t pause to think about the question. Didn’t stop to go through their complicated history – or the seemingly more complicated feelings he had regarding the man. He just responded.

 

The woman smiled. “Good,” she said.

 

Reaching into her handbag, she pulled out a glass vial. A silvery liquid swirled around in it, and Nick narrowed his eyes as he stared at it. “What’s that?” he asked.

 

“This? Just a zaubertrank.” The woman eyed Nick seriously. “It will allow those who swallow it a chance to share their strength, their lifeforce, as though they were Bonded.” Nick could hear the capital letter on the word, the depth to it that suggested he should know what it meant, as though it were something more than what it appeared on the surface.

 

“Bonded?” he asked.

 

She nodded.

 

“And this will save his life?”

 

“It will give him a chance. And is far less risky than the alternative.” Her gaze strayed to the captain. “If you don’t wish to -”

 

“No!” Nick cut in, hand reaching out for the vial. “I just drink this?”

 

“Half,” she agreed. “Sean will need to drink the other half.”

 

Nodding, Nick lifted the vial to his lips. For a moment, he wondered if he was insane. He didn’t know this woman. Didn’t know anything about her or whether she was telling the truth. Yet here he was, ready to down a zaubertrank on the hope that it could help the captain. He swallowed.

 

“And now, Sean,” the woman said. Taking the vial from Nick’s fingers, she moved over to the captain, forcing his mouth open and massaging his throat as she poured the liquid inside.

 

Nick watched intently for any reaction, any change. There was nothing.

 

Then -

 

Gasping, Nick stumbled. He felt as though someone had reached into his chest and grasped hold of his heart. A tugging, pulling, sensation drew him towards the bed, until he was clasping tight to Renard’s hand once more.

 

Renard gasped, drawing in a deep breath, then another, and another.

 

With a smile, the woman stepped back. “It worked,” she said.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Head resting against the cool window of Hank’s car, Nick tried to ignore the way his stomach roiled within him.

 

Hank cast him a concerned glance. “You want me to head to the Spice Shop?” he asked.

 

“No,” Nick said, grimacing as he tried to shake his head only to give it up when it started pounding furiously. 

 

“You sure? You’re not looking so good.”

 

He wasn’t feeling so good, but that was pretty much par for the course so far that day. 

 

“I’m sure it’ll pass,” he said in reply.

 

“Okay,” Hank agreed, flicking on his blinker as they approached the lights. “But promise me you’ll call Rosalee if you get any worse.”

 

“Hank -”

 

“Nick.” He raised one eyebrow, turning to fix his partner with a stern stare as they waited at the red light.

 

“Fine,” Nick agreed, wincing as his guts chose that moment to act as though they’d been stabbed.

 

Frowning, Hank turned back to the road. He had a feeling he’d need to call Rosalee himself. His partner could be far too stubborn at times.

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

Nick woke, head propped up on the side of the captain’s bed. His eyes felt heavy and gummy, and his blinked rapidly to try and clear them. He felt lethargic, as though he’d been working out all day and was now pleasantly tired from the exertion, despite the fact that he’d done little but spend his time in the hospital since the captain was shot. That and phoning whoever needed to be phoned as he worked to make sure Trubel’s involvement in the incident at his house was put down as self  defense.

 

Hank had been a great help, going with Trubel and walking her through things, though Nick had spent most of his time on the phone with her or the detectives on the case, and the one time he’d properly left the hospital had been to offer Trubel support as she spoke to the detectives and went through the house, showing them what had happened.

 

Stretching, Nick found that his hand was still wrapped tight around the captain’s. Not too surprising considering how often he had held the captain’s hand over the past few days. 

 

“You’re awake.”

 

Turning, he saw the woman standing by the windows in the room. “Who are you?” he asked.

 

“Elizabeth Lascelles,” she replied with a soft smile, “Sean’s mother.”

 

Nick blinked at her. “His mother?” he asked.

 

She laughed softly. “Yes,” she agreed. “ I’m afraid my rather youthful appearance is a result of my heredity.” When Nick simply continued to look at her in confusion, she woged.

 

Blinking, Nick watched as the desiccated face of a hexenbiest faded back into that of the woman he now knew was Sean’s mother. “Should have guessed that one,” he muttered, “he certainly didn’t get it from his father.”

 

“No,” Elizabeth agreed. She moved forward, perching on the opposite side of the bed to Nick. “Thank you,” she said. “For what you’ve done for him.”

 

Nick shook his head. “It was nothing,” he said.

 

“Nothing?” Elizabeth scoffed. “Can’t you still feel the Bond between you? It will last another day or so, before dissolving.” 

 

She was right, Nick realised. That tug, that pull, was still there, though less of a pull, and more like the feeling of a rope stretching between him and the man on the bed. That must be what she meant when she spoke of the Bond.

 

“There are not many who would do what you have done for him,” Elizabeth continued, “perhaps no others.”

 

“He would have done the same for me,” Nick said, embarrassed, yet certain of his words.

 

“He would,” Elizabeth agreed, gaze thoughtful as it returned to her son.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Closing the door behind him, Nick took a moment to simply breath, out of sight of his friend and partner. He knew Hank was worried about him. He was worried about himself. But he didn’t want to make a big deal about it.

 

For all it felt like his insides were writhing against each other, there was something in him telling him that it was natural. That it wasn’t something a doctor would be able to fix. 

 

Brushing those thoughts aside, Nick stumbled away from the door and into the house. He glanced at the stairs, but, deciding he didn’t really feel up to them, made his way towards the couch instead.

 

The house was strangely bare without Juliette’s things in it. But it had been like that for some time, and he was finding it easier and easier not to dwell on it. That part of his life was over.

 

Leaning his head back against the cushions, Nick breathed through his mouth against the pain. He hoped it didn’t last too long.

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

Renard stirred, Nick immediately aware of the fact that he was waking – though whether it was from the close attention he’d been paying to his captain or the strange Bond that lingered between them, he wasn’t entirely sure.

 

Eyes fluttering open, the captain turned towards Nick. “Nick,” he said.

 

“Hey,” Nick replied, smiling down at him and giving his hand a squeeze. The captain squeezed back in response. “How are you are feeling?”

 

“Surprisingly alive,” Renard replied.

 

Elizabeth laughed. His gaze shot to her.

 

“Mother,” he said.

 

“Sean,” she replied, reaching out to brush her hand against his cheek. 

 

“What?” Shifting, the captain tried to push himself upright, but both Nick and Elizabeth were immediately there, gently pushing him back down.

 

“Rest,” Elizabeth said, “you almost died.”

 

“What happened?”

 

She cast Nick a sideways look. “Your grimm imbibed a  zaubertrank for you,” she said.

 

Renard’s brow furrowed as he stared between them. “You don’t mean -” he began.

 

Elizabeth nodded. “The  _Verleihen Bindung_ ,” she said.

 

Renard turned wide eyes to Nick.

 

“What?” Nick asked.

 

“You ...” the captain began, before letting his words trail off. But Nick could see what he wanted to say in his eyes. _You did that for me?_

 

Shrugging self-consciously, Nick ran one hand through his hair, the other still holding Renard’s. “You would have done the same for me,” he said.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

The cramping woke Nick from where he’d drifted off into a light doze. Groaning, he turned his head to try and make out the time. A couple of hours had passed. 

 

His skin felt tight and heated, as though he had a fever, and he huffed out a breath of annoyance. A fever was not what he wanted right then – not on top of everything else.

 

Pushing himself upright, he waited a moment for the room to stop spinning around him. There was a gnawing ache in his gut, which he also ignored.  Perhaps a cool shower – or bath. He rarely took the time to soak in a bath, but suddenly it seemed like the perfect solution to his overheated skin and cramping guts. 

 

A bath. And then maybe he’d feel up to going to find Sean.

 

Hand on the doorframe, Nick paused. Why would he need to find the captain?

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

“Nick!” the captain gasped out, grip tightening on his hand as his gaze shot round to the grimm. “Did you get what I brought to your house for you?”

 

Nick shook his head. “No,” he said, “it’s gone.” 

 

“Oh, Nick,” Renard said. “I’m sorry. I tried.”

 

“I know,” Nick said, “we can talk about this when you’re feeling a little stronger. For now, don’t worry about it.”

 

The captain frowned. “I should have known what Adalind was up to,” he said. “I’m just glad the young lady staying at your house knew how to handle a machete. I owe her.”

 

“Trubel,” Nick said. “And I’m just glad you’re still here.”

 

“So am I,” Elizabeth said, gaining their attention. “You have a visitor.” Stepping aside, she motioned Hank into the room.

 

“Hey, Captain,” Hank said, “Nick.”

 

“Hey,” the captain replied. “It’s good to see you.”

 

“You too,” Hank said. “You look pretty good for a guy who’s been through what you’ve been through.”

 

“Well,” Renard said, “I have Nick and my mother to thank for that.”

 

Hank’s eyebrows rose as he glanced at Elizabeth.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Sinking into the bath, Nick let out a sigh of relief.  The cool water felt amazing against his skin. Stretching out, he leant his head back against the end of the bath, eyes falling closed.

 

There was a strange scent in the air, something he couldn’t quite identify. Just the thought of it made his insides squirm, and Nick frowned. What was it?

 

A kind of spice. There was definitely a warmth to the scent, he decided. Something that almost smelt like power. Lightning? 

 

Grimacing at a particularly harsh cramp, Nick tried to move his thoughts away from  the scent. He wasn’t even sure he was actually smelling it, or whether it was simply a product of his imagination.

 

Instead, smooth skin slipped into his thoughts, rippling beneath his hands.

 

Biting his lip, Nick tried to force his thoughts away. To something less arousing. His hands itched, as though desperate to press down against the skin laid out before him in his mind. Whatever he did, his thoughts kept circling back to it.

 

There was something about the skin that he felt he should perhaps recognise, a familiarity that teased on the edge of his thoughts. Just like the scent. But all he saw was smooth skin and firm muscles. Nothing to tell him who or why he mind had decided to head in that direction.

 

Not that the thoughts were entirely new, but usually Nick was able to force himself to focus on other things as needed.

 

If only he knew  _why_ he suddenly couldn’t seem to control his thoughts.

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

“Well,” said Nick, forcing himself to push his hands into his pockets. “Enjoy your time off.”

 

The captain shot him a disgruntled look.

 

“I’ll make sure he rests,” Elizabeth assured the grimm. She gave him a considering look. “The verleihen bindung will wear off soon,” she said. “You might want to be sitting down somewhere when that happens.”

 

Nick nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by that. Sure, he’d enjoyed feeling tied to the captain,  and  was infinitely glad he’d been able to help his captain pull through and that he was still with them.

 

And yes, it’d been a bit of a shock when the so-called Bond had formed. But he doubted it’d be much worse when it dissolved.

 

He was wrong.

 

Sitting in his house, feeling somewhat silly, but not entirely willing to discard Elizabeth’s advice, Nick knew the moment the Bond began to unravel.

 

A sharp pain struck him in the chest, as though something was tearing away from his heart. Tears sprang to his eyes and he gasped,  hand reached up to try and hold the Bond to him.

 

But it was no use.

 

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, as though it was happening strand by strand, Nick felt that strange rope that led to his captain pull away from him. His chest felt on fire where the Bond tore away, a fire that increased with each strand that separated.

 

Until he was lying on his side and gasping, desperately trying to stop himself from crying out. He wanted to hold onto the Bond. To rush off to find Sean and make him create the Bond between them once more. To never move from the pain.

 

Eventually, it stopped. The fire dimmed and went out. Instead, his chest ached hollowly, as though something was missing. 

 

For a moment, he wondered if he would have agreed to taking the zaubertrank if he’d known this would be the result. But it was only for a moment. To save the captain’s life – of course he would.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Bath water heating around him, Nick finally pulled himself out, grumbling under his breath as he did so.  He was half-hard from the thoughts he couldn’t quite banish – and sure that he would be fully hard if he wasn’t in so much pain.

 

Really, it felt as though his insides were trying to rearrange themselves.

 

Stumbling out of the bathroom, he glanced at the clock. Perhaps it was time to call Rosalee? 

 

*

 

_Six Months Ago_

 

“This could have waited, you know,” Nick said, smiling softly as the captain opened the door for him.

 

Renard shook his head. “I’m feeling much better,” he said.

 

Eyes raking over him, Nick couldn’t help but agree, although there was a niggling feeling that something was missing.  The captain stood easily before him, calm and relaxed, in a simple shirt and pants.  There was nothing in his stance or face to suggest that he’d almost died not that long ago.

 

Stepping inside, Nick nodded to Elizabeth, who smiled back at him.

 

“So,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets to prevent himself from reaching out towards the captain – no doubt a holdover from the Bond they’d had for those few days. “What did you want to talk about?”

 

“Adalind.”

 

“Ah.” Grimacing, Nick leant back against the bench, before allowing the captain to usher him over to the couch. “This is a nice place,” he said.

 

Renard quirked a smile. “Lucky for me,” he said, “my mother is fairly well off.” His face turned serious. “Adalind stole your powers,” he said.

 

Nick nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Rosalee and Monroe have been researching it,” he said. “She did something to make herself look like Juliette, so that I would trust her, then  gave me a zaubertrank in  a muffin.” He frowned. “I should have realised when she was so insistent I eat it, but...” his voice trailed off.

 

“You trust this Juliette?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“Yeah,” Nick agreed.

 

“Then do not blame yourself. Adalind used that against you.”

 

Nodding, Nick glanced back at the captain. “Sorry I won’t be able to help you as much -” he began, but Renard waved that off.

 

“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “You’ve always been a good detective. I don’t expect that to change.”

 

“And there is a way to reverse it,” Elizabeth cut in.

 

Nick blinked. “There is?” he asked.

 

“There is,” Elizabeth agreed.

 

Glancing down at his hands, Nick clenched his fingers, wondering just how to say what he needed to.

 

“Nick?” The captain’s hand was warm against his own, causing him to look up.

 

“I’m not sure,” he said, giving a strained laugh. “I mean, I…” he shook his head. “I think maybe I’d like to try just being human for a while,” he said. Glancing up, he caught the captain’s gaze, something in it telling him that the other man understood far more than Nick had said. Understood that he wanted to try being human, being normal, because maybe that would fix things between him and Juliette. 

 

“As you wish,” Renard said. There was something in his eyes that Nick couldn’t quite decipher. A kind of pain.

 

He opened his mouth, hesitated, and then closed it. “I’m sorry,” he said.

 

“Don’t be. It’s your life.”

 

“If you change your mind,” Elizabeth said, standing and beginning to usher Nick towards the door. She appeared disappointed, but he tried not to think too hard about that. This was something he needed to do. To see if there was any chance of salvaging what he and Juliette had had. 

 

“Thank you,” he said, stepping out the door.

 

It closed behind him.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Grimacing through yet another cramp, Nick fumbled for his phone, while simultaneously trying to get dressed. He winced as he leant over to pull his jeans on.

 

Bringing up the number for the Spice Shop, Nick dialled. The line was busy.

 

Shaking his head, he  dragged a t-shirt over his head. He’d just have to go there himself.

 

Exiting the house, Nick groaned as he remembered that his truck was still at the precinct. Slumping down onto the front steps of his house, he called for a taxi.

 

*

 

_Five Months Ago_

 

“Nick?”

 

Gla n cing up, Nick pushed away from his paperwork. The captain was studying him intently. Wincing, Nick wondered just how bad he looked. His eyes felt dry and gritty, and he wasn’t sure how much sleep he’d managed to get the night before.

 

“Come into my office for a moment,” the captain continued.

 

Pushing himself upright, Nick followed Renard into the office.

 

“Are you all right?” the captain asked, cutting straight to the chase.

 

Nick grimaced. “Juliette and I broke up,” he said, slumping back against the side table.

 

“Nick -”

 

“Turns out it wasn’t me being a grimm that made our relationship fall apart, or at least, not just me being a grimm,” he said. Gritting his teeth, he felt tears prick at his eyes, but he forced them back. In all honesty, he’d known for a while that their relationship was unlikely to last, but it had been a last ditch effort. A way to say he’d truly tried everything.

 

“I’m sorry.”  


Nick shook his head. “Why?” he asked. “I’m the one who lied to her, refused to trust her...” he laughed. “I’m the one who’s always  acting as though I need to protect her.” A strong hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing gently, and Nick leaned into the comfort. “Sorry,” he said, scrubbing one hand over his face. “I didn’t mean to offload on you.”

 

“It’s no problem,” the captain replied, grip firming on his shoulder. “Do you want to take some time off?”

 

Nick shook his head. “And sit at home alone?” he asked. “No thanks. Just – I’d rather be busy right now.”

 

Renard nodded. “That, I can help you with,” he said.

 

Nick made a face. “I’m going to regret saying that, aren’t I?” he asked.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

The taxi dropped Nick off out the front of the Spice Shop. Pushing the door open, he made his way inside, moving carefully around the now near-constant pain in his guts.

 

“Be with you in a moment!” he heard Rosalee call out from the back.

 

Then she was there, smile falling from her face as she took in his hunched posture and  tense face.

 

“Nick?”

 

“Hey Rosalee,” he said, wincing through another cramp. “I’m, uh, I’m not feeling so good.”

 

Her eyebrows rose towards her hairline. “You don’t look so good,” she said. Moving forward, she grabbed hold of his arm, leading him into the other room and pushing him towards the small cot there.

 

“How long has this been going on?” she asked. She gave a light sniff, but Nick was too busy riding out another gut-clenching twist of his insides to pay it much attention. “You’re not usually like this,” Rosalee added.

 

Nick gave her a disbelieving look. “I have  _never_ felt like this before,” he said.

 

Rosalee frowned. “So why...” reaching out, she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead, hissing at the warmth she found there. “I suppose this is your first heat since you broke up with Juliette,” she said, looking sympathetic. 

 

Nick wanted to ask her what she meant by heat, but his insides chose that moment to try and crawl up his throat. 

 

Gagging, he sank back against the mattress. “Tell me you have something that can help?” he asked.

 

Frowning, Rosalee nodded. “I’ll get the  _Hitze Reduzieren_ ,” she said. “That should take the edge off.”

 

Closing his eyes, Nick listened as she moved away. He hoped she was right. 

 

It wasn’t long before Rosalee returned, passing Nick a large mug from which a rather potent smell rose. It made his stomach clench with nausea and he gritted his teeth, determined not to puke. 

 

“I know,” Rosalee said in sympathy. “It doesn’t exactly smell the nicest, but it should help, at least.”

 

Nodding, Nick brought the mug up to his lips, forcing himself to down the thick liquid in one go. Gagging, he passed the mug back to Rosalee,  face crinkling in disgust.

 

Rosalee laughed softly. “Just be glad this is the first time you’ve had to take it,” she said. “You’ve been lucky so far.”

 

*

 

_Four and a Half Months Ago_

 

Tapping his pen against his desk, Nick found his gaze going back, once more, to the captain’s office.

 

“Just ask him,” Hank said.

 

Jumping, Nick spun to face him. “What?” he asked.

 

Hank rolled his eyes. “It’s obvious there’s something on your mind,” he said. “Just ask him.”

 

Nick shook his head. “I don’t know if I can,” he said.

 

Hank raised an eyebrow. “And why not?” he asked.

 

Biting his lip, Nick looked down and away. He wasn’t sure how he wanted to answer. How to explain that he felt  as though, somehow, he’d disappointed the captain when he’d refused the offer to get his grimm powers back.

 

The way he felt as though it was too late to go and ask the captain for help in regaining them. After all, he’d already turned away the captain’s offer, why would he still want to help Nick?

 

“Scowling isn’t going to change anything,” Hank said, giving Nick’s chair a nudge with his foot. “Go. Deal with whatever it is.” He waved one hand in the air.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

The hitze reduzieren worked somewhat. Within half an hour, Nick began to feel the first relaxation in his gut he’d had all day. It didn’t take away the cramps or shifting feeling entirely, but it did  help him to ease into a light sleep.

 

“Rosalee?” Monroe called, entering the Shop.

 

“In here!” she called back, smiling down at Nick.

 

“Hey,” the blutbad said, coming over to join her. He frowned when he caught sight of Nick. “What’s going on?”

 

Rosalee sighed. “He said he’s never had it this bad before,” she said.

 

Frowning, Monroe sniffed, jerked back as he got a whiff of his friend. “Oh yeah,” he said, “that’s gearing up to be rather potent.” He grimaced. “Why do you think?”

 

“Most likely,” Rosalee replied, “because it’s his first heat without Juliette for quite some time.” She shook her head. “Honestly, I’m not sure how they made that work, but Nick never seemed to worry about it, so I never said anything.”

 

“You and me both,” Monroe agreed, with a shake of his head. “It’s strange enough thinking of a grimm going through that, let alone thinking it about Nick.” He made a face.

 

“Why?” Rosalee asked, voice deceptively sweet. “Are you saying it somehow makes him weak?”

 

“Woah!” Monroe exclaimed, holding up his hands in defence. “I didn’t say that. If anything, it makes him strong,” he quickly explained. “Anyway who can survive heat has to be,” he added.

 

Somewhat satisfied, Rosalee gave a short nod. “Good,” she said. 

 

On the bed, Nick groaned, hands clenching in obvious pain. 

 

Monroe waved his hand in front of his nose. “I can’t believe this one’s so bad,” he said. “I’ve never even been able to tell before.”  He paused. “You don’t think it could have something to do with him losing and then regaining his powers, do you?”

 

Rosalee stilled, brain whirling. She turned wide eyes to Monroe. “If losing his powers also removed ...” she said, “then perhaps regaining them gave it back. This is his first heat since regaining his powers, and his body needs to accommodate heats again.” She shook her head. “As though he’s presenting again, but worse, because he’s older now.” 

 

Monroe grimaced. “I do not envy him,” he said. “At all.”

 

But Rosalee was already moving back towards the main part of the shop. “If his body is going through a form of presentation,” she said, “then the  _Anderung Entlasten_ should help. I’ll mix some up.”

 

*

 

_Four Months Ago_

 

“Nick.”

 

“Captain.”

 

Nick shifted, gaze darting around. He sighed.

 

“Nick,” Renard repeated, reaching out to put his hands on his shoulders. “What is it?”

 

Firming his resolve, Nick glanced up at his captain. “I, I was hoping you’d still be able to help me,” he said. “You know, be a grimm.” For a moment, he thought perhaps a smile was trying to cross the captain’s face.

 

“Of course,” Renard said. “When?”

 

“When?”

 

“When would you like to do this?”

 

Nick blinked. “That’s it?” he asked. “Just ‘when’?”

 

Renard chuckled. “I’m afraid my mother was rather clear in her instructions for how to return your powers to you,” he said. “So yes, it’s simply a matter of when.”

 

Nick shrugged. “Uh, whenever,” he said. “Soon. Now.”

 

Leaning down, the captain kissed him. For a moment, Nick froze, shock washing over him at the feel of the captain’s lips against his. But the captain was a good kisser. Pressing back into the kiss, Nick  let his lips part, allowing the captain’s tongue inside his mouth. Renard’s tongue swirled around his, stroking over his mouth before darting back out.

 

Nick chased after it, his own tongue ending up in his captain’s mouth, lips moving together.

 

Slowly, Renard drew back from him.

 

Breathing heavily, Nick stared up at him. “Um...” he said.

 

Renard chuckled. “They should return within a day,” he said.

 

Nick blinked up at him, trying to make the captain’s words make sense. “Wait,” he asked, “you kissed me in order to give my powers back?”

 

“While not a cure-all,” the captain replied, “there is, apparently, a reason so many of the fairytales have the kiss of a Prince curing the Princess from whatever spell the witch cast against her.”

 

Nick gaped for a moment, before shaking his head. “After everything I’ve seen,” he said, “I shouldn’t be surprised.”

 

“Just be thankful you weren’t present for my reaction when I was first informed of the way to return your powers.”

 

Picturing it in his mind, Nick grinned. Then he paused.

 

“Thank you,” he said.

 

Renard gazed back at him. “Of course,” he replied.

 

 


	2. Presenting

_Present_

 

Nick woke to a dull pain in his gut and the sound of Monroe and Rosalee talking softly nearby.

 

Letting out a soft groan, he rolled over onto his side, trying to ease the pressure in his gut.

 

"Nick?"

 

Glancing up, he saw Rosalee staring down at him with concern. Her hand reached out, as though to press against his forehead and test his temperature, but Nick jerked back.

 

Rosalee paused, before withdrawing her hand.

 

Nick grimaced. "Sorry," he said, "I don't -" his words cut off as his gut clenched.

 

"Man, you do not look good," Monroe said, hovering in the background.

 

For some reason that Nick couldn't quite figure out, he was glad the blutbad wasn't standing any closer. The simple fact that Monroe was in the room had him on edge - which was driving him slightly mad as this was _Monroe_ who he'd been friends with for years. He'd never had this reaction to Monroe before.

 

"I'll get you the _Anderung Entlasten,_ " Rosalee said, taking a step back.

 

Nick glanced up at her in confusion.

 

"We think this may have been caused by your powers returning," Rosalee explained at his look, sympathy in her eyes. "Your body is acting as though you're presenting again. The _Anderung Entlasten_ will help with that."

 

"It wasn't like this last time," Nick groused. When he'd first become a grimm, he'd simply started seeing things he wasn't sure he could believe. There hadn't been any gut-wrenching pain as though his insides were rearranging.

 

"It's because of your age, man," Monroe said. "Presenting at your age - not fun." He shook his head.

 

Nick repressed the urge to snarl back at his friend.

 

"Here." Rosalee held out a glass towards the grimm. Wrinkling his nose, Nick accepted it from her. "I know," Rosalee said, "it doesn't smell the greatest."

 

"But it'll help?" Nick asked.

 

"It'll help," she agreed.

 

Grimacing pre-emptively, Nick downed the contents in one go. He shuddered at the thick feeling sliding down his throat.

 

A kind of cool _something_ washed over Nick. He blinked in surprise. His gut was still churning and trying to stage a revolt, but it was somehow more bearable than before.

 

"Well?" Monroe asked after a moment, peering at Nick.

 

"What?" he snarled back - actually snarled, a sound he'd never heard come from his throat before.

 

"Sorry," Nick added, giving his head a shake as he tried to brush away the agitation he felt whenever he was reminded Monroe was there.

 

"We should get you home," Rosalee said. "And by we, I mean I."

 

Nick pushed himself to his feet with a frown. "You don't need to do that," he said.

 

Rosalee gave him a look.

 

"I'll just, go somewhere else," Monroe added, hands up and open in a conciliatory gesture before him as he backed away.

 

"Sorry," Nick repeated. "I don't know why -"

 

"Hey," Monroe cut in, "while kinda surprising seeing as you've never growled at me before, it's kinda understandable considering this is, you know, you presenting again." He made a face, no doubt in reaction to his thoughts on what Nick was going through.

 

Nick wasn’t really sure exactly what Monroe meant by that – the first time he’d come into his grimm powers, sure, he’d been inexperienced and basically bumbling his way around, but he’d never felt this… instinctive agitation, that he was currently feeling.

 

“Here,” Rosalee said, slipping into place next to Nick and ducking under his arm. He relaxed somewhat against her. There was a soft, muted scent to Rosalee that he’d never noticed before and found calming.

 

Turning his head, Nick nosed into her hair, before realising what he was doing and stopping with a blush. “Sorry,” he said. He had a feeling he’d be saying that a lot.

 

“Don’t be,” Rosalee replied, giving his waist a squeeze with the arm she’d wrapped around him to help steady him. “It’s obvious your body is not all that happy right now -”

 

Nick’s snort cut her off. “I have _never_ felt like this before,” he assured her.

 

“Come on,” Rosalee said, “you’ll feel better once you’re home, back in your territory.”

 

Letting the fuchsbau lead him out of the shop, Nick couldn’t help but wonder at her words. He’d never really thought of his house as his territory before – and somehow knew that it… wasn’t. Shaking his head, Nick let Rosalee bundle him into Monroe’s little bug, wrinkling his nose at the smell he somehow knew came from the blutbad.

 

“I know,” Rosalee said, patting his hand as she saw his face. “But it won’t be long and then you’ll be home.”

 

He didn’t want to go home. He wasn’t exactly sure just where he wanted to go – but he was fairly sure home wasn’t it. At least, not the house he used to share with Juliette and was only still living in as he hadn’t had a chance to find somewhere else. It was too large. Too _empty_.

 

*

 

_Four Months Ago_

 

Renard was right. Nick’s grimm powers returned within a day – just in time, too. Case wrapped up, a thrill racing through him at the knowledge that he was a grimm once more (because, yes, he’d missed it. He’d really missed it), Nick turned the corner, deciding not to go home.

 

There was no-one to go home to anymore, and besides, he was too keyed up to sleep.

 

Parking by a strip of quiet bars, Nick wandered into the nearest one, hands shoved in his pockets and a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. The interior was soft and elegant, more soothing than anything else. It was the kind of place Nick could imagine really relaxing in (as opposed to trying to get drunk in).

 

Sitting on a stool by the bar, he ordered a drink, before turning to survey the room. Perhaps someone in the room was wesen and would woge. Then he’d get to see, again, that his powers were back.

 

His hearing was mostly definitely back – if he listened, he could hear any of the conversations in the room. Would his strange ability to go without air return as well? he wondered. And was it really possible that all this came from a single kiss from his Captain?

 

“Nick.”

 

In the process of accepting his drink from the bartender, Nick glanced up, smile brightening his face as he saw Renard standing by his side. As usual, the other man was dressed impeccably. Sharp eyes swept over Nick.

 

“Captain,” he replied, unable to keep his bubbling happiness from his voice.

 

Renard raised one eyebrow, taking the seat next to him. “You appear rather bright this evening,” he said.

 

Nick grinned. “It worked,” he replied.

 

“It worked?”

 

Nodding, Nick took a sip of his drink. “Oh yeah,” he said. “Let’s just say I have a whole ‘nother appreciation for your kisses, now.”

 

The smirk that twitched at Renard’s lips had Nick running his words back over in his mind, wincing when he heard how they sounded.

 

“I’m glad,” the captain said, motioning for his own drink. “We need more like you.”

 

Quickly knocking back more of his drink to hide the smile the captain’s words were causing, Nick shifted on his stool to face him properly. “How about you?” he asked. “What brings you out here tonight?”

 

They ended up speaking for hours. By the time Nick left, wandering home with a promise that he would walk – not drive – Nick felt as though the captain was not simply someone he knew and worked with or for.

 

He had a feeling Renard could very likely become a rather close friend.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Pulling up out the front of Nick’s house, Rosalee glanced across at him with a frown. “Are you sure you’re all right?” she asked. “I could come in?”

 

“I’ll be fine,” he replied, resolutely ignoring the way his gut rolled over at the thought. “Besides, that stuff you gave me will keep working, right?” he asked.

 

“The _Anderung Entlasten_?” Rosalee asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

She nodded. “It’ll actually keep increasing in potency,” she said, “up until six hours have passed, at which point it will slowly reduce. But you can’t take any more until twelve hours have passed since your last dose.”

 

Nodding, realising that it was likely he was going to need more of that particular tonic, Nick pushed his door open. “Guess I’ll have to come get some more from you tomorrow, then,” he said.

 

Rosalee scowled. “No,” she said, “I’ll bring some more round tonight. And more of the _Hitze Reduzieren._ You can use them both at the same time. Normal rules for the _Hitze Reduzieren_ apply.”

 

“Normal rules?”

 

Pausing where she had walked Nick halfway up to his front door, Rosalee turned to stare at him. “You don’t know the normal rules?” she asked in shock.

 

“Why would I?” Giving a shrug, Nick stumbled forward, dragging Rosalee along with him. “What part of ‘I’ve never felt like this before’ do you not understand.” He winced immediately after speaking, his tone having come out snappish and the words something he normally wouldn’t say, especially to Rosalee. “Sorry,” he said.

 

Rosalee laughed softly. “You have no idea how much I envy you right now,” she said, “for this to be your first time like this...” she shook her head as her voice trailed off. “Well, just be thankful you haven’t needed the _Hitze Reduzieren_ ,” she continued. “Most of us aren’t that lucky.”

 

They reached the front door, cutting off anything Nick might had said about her statements. Fishing his keys from his pocket, Nick unlocked and opened the door, letting Rosalee help him inside and over to the couch.

 

“Right,” she said, once certain she’d made the grimm as comfortable as she could. She surveyed Nick with a slightly-disbelieving, slightly-jealous look. “The _Hitze Reduzieren_ ,” she explained, “helps to ease the cramps,” she grimaced as she spoke, as though in remembered pain. “It also helps to take a bit of the edge off of the… urgency, of the whole thing. Though, if you’re presenting again, you probably haven’t reached that stage yet.” She glanced at Nick, as though waiting for him to confirm her thoughts, but he honestly wasn’t exactly sure what she was talking about.

 

Plus, his guts chose that moment to clench painfully, making him grunt and double over.

 

Rosalee made a soft, sympathetic sound, reaching out to touch his shoulder briefly. “ _Hitze Reduzieren_ shouldn’t be taken with food,” she said. “Make sure it’s been at least half an hour after you’ve eaten before taking it, and wait an hour after taking it before eating again. Although, really,” she added, “it’s best to take it at least an hour after food and wait two hours after before eating.”

 

Nick nodded along, trying to remember what she was saying. “I don’t really feel like eating, anyway,” he admitted. The way his insides were twisting around on themselves, he had no desire to add food to that mix.

 

“Of course not,” Rosalee agreed, smiling gently down at him. “Now, the _Anderung Entlasten_ similarly should not be taken on a full stomach, but can be taken in conjunction with the _Hitze Reduzieren_. I gave you the first dose about 6,” she continued, glancing at her watch. “So you’ll want to take the next one sometime after six tomorrow morning. I’ll drop it off this evening – I’ll leave both in your fridge where they’ll stay cool.

 

“Remember, if you want to drink anything, chilled is best. And eating -”

 

“Really don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Nick cut in.

 

Rosalee shook her head at him. “For when you do decide you want to eat,” she continued, “remember to stick to soft foods. Soup and the like.”

 

Nick nodded, though he was fairly certain he wouldn’t be eating anytime soon. His stomach clenched. There was an almost feeling of hunger in it – but not for food, that much he was sure of.

 

Rosalee sighed, appearing nervous. “Do you want me to stay?” she asked.

 

Nick glanced up at her (his eyes having slipped shut with his latest cramps). “Nah,” he said, “I’ll be fine. Besides, you’ve got Monroe to head home to.”

 

Rosalee gave a soft smile at that. “He _will_ likely be somewhat worked up,” she agreed. Although Nick wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by that or why her knowing glance seemed to assume he understood it as well. “Are you sure?” she checked.

 

Nick waved one hand in the air. “I’ll be fine,” he repeated. “Really. I mean, it’s not life-threatening, right?”

 

“No,” she agreed with a smile.

 

“And it’ll pass.”

 

“It will.”

 

“So I’ve just got to wait it out a bit,” he continued. Nick forced a smile.

 

“Okay,” Rosalee agreed. She took a step backwards. “But you call if you need anything. _Anything_.”

 

“Yes, mom,” Nick teased lightly.

 

Leaning down, Rosalee pressed a quick kiss to his forehead, her muted scent washing over him. Nick wanted to press close to that scent – it made him think of comfort. Warm blankets. Sunlight. Family. But he held himself back. He figured he’d already acted weird enough for one day.

 

“Try and get some sleep,” Rosalee told him, slipping away towards the front door.

 

*

 

_Three and a Half Months Ago_

 

Glaring down at the crime scene photos once more, Nick pushed his way into the trailer. Hank and Renard followed after him. The photos were, unsurprisingly considering Nick’s work, of a homicide victim. The killing had been particularly brutal, and, considering the type of marks on the body, most likely wesen.

  
Which had led to the three men making their way to the trailer. Not only was the killing brutal, but the victim had been somewhat known in the media sphere, which meant that said media were all over the case.

 

With the media involved, Captain Renard was involved. Hence how the three men ended up at the trailer.

 

Renard gazed around the trailer in fascination. “This,” he said, hand reaching out yet not quite touching anything, simply hovering in the air, “is a priceless treasure.”

 

Hank shot the Captain a bemused look, having not really thought of the trailer that way before.

 

Nick shrugged, pulling the door shut after them. “It’s certainly helped a lot over the years,” he admitted, motioning Renard forward towards the table spread with books. “Whoever killed our vic,” he continued, “has to be wesen. Somewhere in here should be a description of them.”

 

Reaching out, Renard carefully opened one of the books, eyebrows rising as he flipped through it. “Fascinating,” he said.

 

Something about the Captain’s awe and respect for the contents of the trailer had Nick pondering on them long after they left.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Waking from a light doze, Nick glanced up to see the house had fallen into darkness while he slept. Rubbing one hand over his face, he pushed himself to his feet. His gut clenched, but it was perhaps the most bearable it had been all day.

 

Whatever that _Anderung Entlasten_ Rosalee had given him was, it was certainly working. Stumbling over towards the stairs, Nick slowly made his way up them. There was a light sheen of sweat on his body, but he had a feeling there’d be no point in showering just yet.

 

His head was heavy, body curiously light, as he stumbled into his room, flopping forward onto his bed.

 

Groaning, Nick rolled over, kicking out at his sheets as he wriggled beneath them. Where was the Captain when you needed him? He wondered.

 

Situated under the sheets, eyes drifting closed, Nick smiled softly at the thought of strong arms wrapped around him, a steady heartbeat behind him, and a heady scent that sent a spike of both arousal and comfort through him.

 

For a moment, he almost wondered just where his thoughts had gone or why, but then sleep tugged him under.

 

*

 

_Three and a Half Months Ago_

 

It was raining. Great gusts of water that beat down upon them relentlessly. Despite the rain, Nick’s side was coated in mud where he’d skidded along the ground. His hair was plastered to his head, rain running into his eyes.

 

Reaching up, he tried to brush it away, a feeling of elation suffusing him as he glanced over at their cuffed perp being guided into the back of a squad car.

 

“You all right?”

 

Turning, Nick faced the Captain, boyish grin peeking out. “Yeah,” he said, giving his arm – coated in mud – a shake.

 

Renard shook his head, eyes sweeping the detective from head to toe. “Come on,” he said. Reaching out, he grabbed hold of Nick’s wrist when the grimm made no move to follow him, tugging his recalcitrant detective along behind him and over to his car.

 

Opening the trunk of his car, Renard pushed Nick under the slight cover it provided, before rummaging in a duffle bag stowed there. He pulled out a sweater.

 

“Strip,” the Captain said.

 

Blinking, Nick glanced up in surprise. Like him, Renard was soaked, hair plastered to his head, and water dripping from him. He shook his head.

 

“They’re your clean clothes,” Nick said, having guessed the Captain kept a spare set of clothing in his trunk just in case, much as Nick did. “You should wear them.”

 

The look he received in return was completely unimpressed and carried all the heavy authority of I’m-your-Captain-you-will-do-what-I-say.

 

“Strip,” Renard repeated. “There is no way you’re putting that mud all through my car.”

 

Nick grimaced, but obediently began to strip. They’d chased after the wesen in the Captain’s car – it having been the closest when they’d received the call from one of Renard’s contacts that he’d found something. Hank had been following up with a possible witness, so Nick and the Captain had left to chase down the newest lead together.

 

Considering the immaculate state of the Captain’s car, Nick could understand him not wanting Nick to get it all muddy.

 

Removing his jacket, Nick glanced up to see the Captain holding out a plastic bag for him. With a sheepish grin, he pushed his mud-coated jacket inside, before starting to unbutton his shirt. Despite the protection of his leather jacket, Nick’s shirt was utterly soaked, clinging annoyingly to his skin. For a moment, he thought perhaps the Captain’s eyes were taking his chest in, before he dismissed the thought.

 

Shivering as he removed his shirt, Nick tossed it into the plastic bag, noticing as he did so that the Captain was also removing his own clothing.

 

Strong arms flexed and bunched as Renard pulled his own shirt off, leaving him in an undershirt the rain had sculpted to his body. Unconsciously, Nick licked his lips, before forcing his gaze away as he willed down his blush. What was wrong with him? His Captain was quickly becoming a good friend, and strong support – he didn’t need Nick to suddenly start ogling him (even if, a quiet voice in the back of Nick’s mind reminded him, he wasn’t exactly _starting_ ).

 

Tugging wet jeans down off his legs, Nick grimaced as they clung to him, before fighting to get them over his shoes and tossing them in the bag. They joined his Captain’s slacks, which made Nick glanced sideways out of the corner of his eye, catching a long expanse of firmly muscled thigh, before he brought himself under control.

 

Digging in the duffle, Renard glanced out at the rain. The strong wind whipped it around them, driving bits of rain into their naked skin. Nick shivered. Pulling out a towel, Renard handed it to him. “Get it in the passenger seat,” he said.

 

Nick opened his mouth to argue – he couldn’t take his Captain’s towel – but a firm look had him shutting his mouth and giving a nod. Breathing deep, he wrapped the towel around him, before dashing around the side of the car and into the passenger seat.

 

As soon as he was inside, Nick began to rub the towel over his skin, removing the worst of the rainwater. His skin prickled with cold in the wake of the towel, and he clenched his teeth to keep them from chattering.

 

“Here,” Renard’s voice called, and then the sweater landed in his lap. Glancing back over his shoulder, Nick caught his Captain’s stern gaze, deciding to forgo any argument. Pulling the sweater on over his chilled skin, he sighed in contentment.

 

Not only did it look expensive, but it was _warm_. Snuggling into the warmth, Nick noted with wry amusement that the captain’s sweater reached mid-thigh on him.

 

There was a _bang_ of the trunk being closed. A gust of wind and rain as the driver’s door opened. A _thud_ as it was slammed shut.

 

Glancing over at the wet – mostly naked – form of his Captain, Nick wordlessly offered the towel. Taking it, Renard gave himself a quick rub down, before twisting round to reach for the clothes he’d dumped on the back seat of the car. A thin dress shirt quickly covered his glorious chest, a pair of slacks being dumped in Nick’s lap.

 

“No,” Nick said.

 

Renard sighed. “Nick,” he began.

 

“No,” Nick repeated, shaking his head obstinately. “Unless you have a second pair of pants.” He paused, waiting briefly, but knew he was right. Renard only had the one change of clothes. The Captain shot him a stern look.

 

Nick held the slacks out to him.

 

“Look,” he said, cheeks heating as he realised what he was going to say. “I appreciate your concern, really,” he shook his head as he felt his cheeks warm further. “But let’s admit it. You’re way taller than I am.” Renard’s lips twitched in amusement. Nick glared petulantly from under his eyelashes. “So this,” he continued, waving one hand towards the gloriously warm sweater, “actually covers me quite well. Not to mention how warm it is,” he added. He shook the slacks at Renard. “Which means you get to wear these.”

 

The Captain studied his face for a long moment, before giving a short nod and taking the slacks. If Nick inwardly mourned the loss of all that wonderful skin as his Captain pulled them on, well, no-one had to know.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Nick’s sleep was full of dreams. Things he only half-remembered when he woke. And even then, his memories were all jumbled up – skin and heat and _that smell_ , and…

 

Groaning, Nick rolled over, pressing his face into his pillow. He had to be feeling better, he figured, if he was getting hard. As though in response to his thoughts, his gut clenched painfully.

 

Sighing, Nick pushed himself upright. His bed was a mess. He’d kicked his covers off sometime in the night, and they were half-draped over the floor. Where he’d lain was damp with sweat, making him wrinkle his nose in distaste. And the whole thing was rumpled, as though he hadn’t been the only one there – although he knew he had.

 

Pushing himself upright, Nick stumbled towards the ensuite. His skin was tight, sticky with sweat, and prickling in places. His gut was cramping, though it felt somehow as though his insides were more settled than they had been.

 

It was hard to describe – but he had a feeling that whatever rearranging had been going on the day before had decided to stop. Leaving him with just the insane cramps to deal with.

 

Cramps which were, he realised as he turned the water on, somehow different to how they’d been the day before. Still painful, still making him want to double over at times – but where the day before his insides had twisted, moving around themselves and cramping as they tried to shuffle around him in, the cramps had taken on a different feel.

 

As though his insides were trying to desperately clench around something that wasn’t there. An emptiness that left him feeling hollow and aching almost as much as the cramps did.

 

At least whatever this was had changed from the insane agony of the day before, which suggested that it seemed to be starting to pass.

 

Having showered, Nick headed downstairs, checking the clock to see it was six-thirty in the morning. Which meant he would be able to take more of the _Anderung Entlasten_. Opening the fridge, he found it just as Rosalee had said he would.

 

It smelt just as bad as last time, but, bolstered by the knowledge of how it would help, Nick chugged it back, followed by the _Hitze Reduzieren_ also left for him. His stomach swirled unpleasantly at the feeling of having something in it, but settled somewhat after a moment.

 

By the time Nick was ready to head into the Precinct, he’d managed to convince himself that he’d be fine to make it through the day. As time went on, he knew, the _Anderung Entlasten_ would work even better. And whatever this was, he was feeling much better than the day before.

 

In fact, he felt almost jittery with energy – surprising considering the amount of pain he’d been in, pain he was somewhat still in from his cramps and that hollow feeling, or the fact that he hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before.

 

Still, his body was flushed with energy and a kind of zinging anticipation. Not to mention the fact that, since waking up, his cock had yet to soften fully, a kind of buzzing arousal running through him. Any thought of staying home and allowing himself to relax, to wait out the rest of whatever this was, was quickly banished.

 

Nick _had_ to get to work. He _had_ to see his Captain.

 

If he hadn’t been quite so jittery, he may have wondered at the path his thoughts had taken.

 

*

 

_Three Months Ago_

 

“That’s it.”

 

Glancing up, Nick saw the Captain standing over him with a frown on his face, arms crossed.

 

“Captain?” he asked.

 

Scowling, Renard reached out, grabbing Nick’s jacket from the back of his chair with one hand, while pulling the detective to his feet with the other.

 

“You’ve been here for hours,” Renard told him, prodding the grimm towards the door. “Staring at the files isn’t going to make them suddenly make more sense.” He pressed the jacket into Nick’s hands as they waited for the elevator, a raised eyebrow clearly indicating the grimm should put it on.

 

Nick shrugged into the jacket, feeling a little sheepish. He rubbed one hand over his face. “I know,” he said, “it’s just… I feel like I’m missing something. Something I should be seeing.”

 

“You’re missing food,” the Captain told him, guiding Nick into the elevator with a hand on the small of his back. “Did you even eat lunch?”

 

Nick opened his mouth to respond that, of course he had, before snapping it shut as he realised that wasn’t quite true.

 

Renard gave a long-suffering sigh. “I thought as much,” he said. The elevator came to a halt, doors opening with a _ding_. “Come on,” the Captain instructed, leading Nick towards his car. “I’m taking you to dinner, then we’ll both go over that file.”

 

Trailing behind his Captain, Nick wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed he’d made his Captain force him out of the Precinct for food, touched that the man cared enough to drag him out himself – rather than simply ordering Nick to head home and eat, or nervous at the idea of going out to dinner with the man.

 

No matter what he felt, however, it was clear Renard fully intended on feeding him before allowing the grimm to continue his work.

 

*

 

_Present_

 

Entering the Precinct, Nick was almost bouncing as he waited for the elevator. Anticipation rushed through his veins – it was somewhat similar to the rush he got just before a fight, his grimm senses opening up and giving him more information than usual, every nerve and muscle ready to fight for his life.

 

But different – because there was no fight looming. Nothing that should be causing him to react that way. And, Nick mused, it was as though his body was preparing itself for something other than a fight. Though what, he wasn’t entirely sure.

 

The elevator opened with a _ding_ , and he stepped inside, reaching out to hold the doors open at the shout from one of the officers. Pierson, he thought. Nick smiled at the other man as he skidded into the elevator.

 

Pierson turned to flash him a grin, before his eyes widened and he took a step back. Nick frowned. Pierson didn’t exactly look nervous of him, but then, he didn’t look comfortable either.

 

“What?” Nick asked.

 

The officer shook his head, staring at Nick from the corners of his eyes as he pressed back against the wall, as far from the grimm as he could get in the confined space of the elevator, and tried not to breath too deeply.

 

“Nothing, nothing.” He muttered.

 

Nick frowned, but taking note of the almost-desperate actions of the officer, decided not to say anything. Instead, he thought, he’d mention it to Renard. The Captain might know if Pierson was wesen and had found out about Nick’s grimm status sometime recently. He’d also know how best to calm the officer.

 

The elevator came to a halt and Nick stepped out, skirting past a group of officers – a few of whom turned to sniff in his direction, eyes widening as they did so. He had no desire to stay in the elevator with a nervous Pierson, and the stairs may just help to work off some of his energy.

 

Gut still clenching painfully around that aching emptiness, Nick bounded up the stairs. The closer he got, the more his whole body seemed to tingle with anticipation and that strange influx of energy, cock half-hard within his jeans.

 

Exiting the stairwell onto the right level, he nodded at a fellow detective – Harrow, if his memory served him – with a smile. Despite the almost constant cramping in his gut, he just knew the day was going to be brilliant.

 

Harrow blinked, staring at the detective. Then he stepped forward, stopping Nick’s forward movement.

 

“Well,” he purred out, actually purred, leaning it to sniff the air around Nick’s neck. “Don’t you smell delicious?”

 

Nick raised his eyebrows incredulously, taking a step backwards. “Uh -” he began.

 

Harrow stepped after him, crowding into his personal space, until Nick was pressed up against the wall, only a few inches between himself and the other detective.

 

“I had no idea,” Harrow continued, drawing deep pulls of air in through his nose. “Such a sweet, ripe, little omega.” His voice dropped on the last words, but Nick saw red.

 

Snapping his arm out, he shoved Harrow back away from him, a snarl leaping from his lips (and really, at some stage he was going to have to figure out just when he’d gained the ability to snarl as well as any of the wesen he met). “NO.” He snapped.

 

Harrow stumbled backwards, eyes widening as he stared at Nick. He gave his head a shake, as though trying to clear it, eyes dipping downwards. “My apologies,” he said, “I didn’t realise you’d chosen.”

 

Nick wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but his skin was singing, energy rushing through him, and part of him wanted to rip the other man’s head off – so he spun sharply on his heel, heading into the bullpen. It wouldn’t do to give into that urge.

 

“Nick!” Wu called as soon as he entered, making a beeline towards him. The sergeant paused, taking in Nick’s appearance. “You look a little -” he began.

 

Nick hissed, cutting him off.

 

“Woah, okay,” Wu said, hands up as he took a step backwards, eyes narrowing as he took Nick in.

 

Clenching his teeth together, Nick tried to pull himself under control. He couldn’t go around snarling and snapping at everyone.

 

“Are you sure you should be here?” Wu asked. The look he gave Nick was somewhat knowing, which angered him further, considering he still felt like he wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. For all the explanations he’d gotten, none of them quite seemed to make sense so far.

 

“I’m fine,” he bit out, eyes drifting towards the Captain’s office without thought. It was dark. Nick repressed the urge to snarl in frustration.

 

Wu’s eyes widened, and it appeared he was going to say something – but there was a _crash_ by the doors.

 

Nick spun, taking in the scene. Three perps were being led in by some uniforms. Three big, burly perps who had decided they weren’t going to come quietly. One of the uniforms was knocked to the ground, a second received an elbow to the face, the third thrown off balance as the perps made a break for it.

 

But instead of running out of the room and away, they raced inside, headed straight towards Nick. Immediately, he was surrounded on all sides by heavily-breathing, towering specimens of muscle.

 

Scowling, Nick folded his arms over his chest.

 

“Look at the little Omega,” one of the perps purred, woging into a skalengeck. Nick’s upper lip curled back in a snarl. Around him, he could hear the rest of the bullpen scrambling towards him, but it was as though everyone was moving in slow motion.

 

“He’s mine!” the second perp snarled, lowen features taking over his face. He reached out a hand towards Nick.

 

“Not if I claim him first,” said the third, a blutbad.

 

Before his colleagues could reach him, Nick reacted. Grabbing that part of him that was _grimm_ and shoving it to the forefront, he glared at the perps, relishing in their shock as they realised he was a grimm.

 

At the same time, he snapped his arm out, knocking the lowen’s hand away from him. His other elbow snapped out at the skalengeck’s face – really, the perp should know better than to try and get so close to Nick’s neck in order to sniff. A short step and pivot had his foot flying out, catching the blutblad in the gut and pushing him backwards.

 

Turning back to the lowen, Nick drove his fist into the man’s shoulder, spinning him, while grabbing the lowen’s right arm and dragging it painfully up behind his back. If the lowen tried to struggle, he’d break his own arm.

 

His other hand shooting out as he saw the skalengekc rearing back from the corner of his eyes, Nick grasped the perp’s head, driving it downwards as he lifted his knee. Skull and knee met with a _crack_ , and the skalengeck dropped unconscious to the floor.

 

Two down, one to go. Nick’s gaze moved to the blutbad. Having gotten his feet back under him, the blutbad snarled, leaping towards Nick.

 

Sighing, the grimm side-stepped out of the way, lifting his leg to trip the perp, while driving his elbow into the nerve-cluster in the small of his back. The blutbad dropped.

 

There was a moment of stunned silence, before someone started clapping. Nick just glared at the perps, shoving the lowen towards Wu when he approached.

 

“I am _not little_ ,” he snarled at them.

 

“Burkhardt.” Turning, Nick saw Captain Benson approaching. The other man, who Nick knew mainly by reputation only, gave him a concerned glance. “Should you be at work?” he asked. There was something underlying his question that suggested he knew whatever it was everyone else seemed to know about what was going on with Nick but that Nick didn’t.

 

Nick scowled. “I need the Captain,” he said. Not, ‘I need to see the Captain’, but, ‘I need the Captain’. In the recesses of his mind, he freaked out silently over his own words, trying to make sense of them.

 

But there was a sense of rightness that followed them that Nick was hard-pressed (and honestly didn’t really want) to ignore.

 

“Ah,” Benson replied, as though Nick’s answer made complete sense to him.

 

“Nick?” That was Hank. Turning, Nick took in the concerned look his partner was giving him. “Maybe you should wait in the Captain’s office?” he suggested.

 

“Good idea,” Benson agreed.

 

The Captain’s office. Yes, that was a good idea, Nick decided, already stalking towards it. The office would be filled with the Captain’s scent. And would clearly show others, he bared his teeth at the three perps as he passed, that he had already chosen.

 

“Woah,” Wu muttered, watching Nick pass, “he’s got it _bad_.”

 

Hank glanced at him. “Got what bad?” he asked.

 

Wu’s eyebrows raised. “What” he asked. “You mean Nick’s never spoken to you about it before?”

 

Frowning, Hank shook his head. Wu whistled in disbelief. “He’s obviously in heat,” he said, “let’s just hope the Captain shows up soon.”

 

Inside Renard’s office, Nick sank down onto the brown leather couch, letting his muscles relax as he breathed in deeply. He was right, the office was filled with Renard’s scent.

 

Humming softly in contentment, Nick tilted his head to the side, letting his cheek brush over the soft leather of the couch. He imagined it was his Captain’s firm chest he was brushing against. That the Captain’s fingers were in his hair.

 

His cock, which had been half-hard all morning, decided to fully wake up. Nick groaned as his thoughts drifted to those strong hands stroking over him, gently removing his clothes and touching his skin.

 

Distantly, he thought that perhaps he should be worried about where his imagination had taken him – and about where he was as it did so – but that was pushed back under the wash of _desire_ that rushed over him.

 

His gut clenched, _empty_ . His skin prickled, _anticipation._ His cock throbbed, _arousal_. Panting, Nick felt the heat wash over him, flushing his skin as he felt small beads of sweat dot his brow.

 

The Captain couldn’t get there fast enough.

 

 


	3. Choosing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean arrives at the precinct, Nick is... heating up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for how long it took to get this out - I've been fairly sick on and off over the past few weeks and hoping it is finally gone and I can get back to writing more regularly.  
> That said, I was working to try and finish this chapter tonight thinking 'I wonder if I'll be able to hit 5k before I hit where I want to end this chapter'. Then, of course, I finished it with just over 6k. I don't know why I ever bother to worry about not having enough words.
> 
> Speaking of words, I've decided, health permitting, to try and complete Nanowrimo this year. However, rather than writing a new work, I'm simply aiming to write 50k worth of words for my current fics during this month. If anyone else is involved in this, my username over there is also Tolieawake, feel free to look me up.

Striding into the Precinct, Captain Sean Renard breathed deeply, trying to push any and all thoughts of the (his) grimm from his mind.

 

It didn’t help that the breath he took brought with it the sweet, ripe scent of unmated grimm Omega. Gritting his teeth, Renard found himself bounding up the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator. If that foolish grimm had decided to come in to work despite his condition…

 

Entering the bullpen, Sean’s gaze immediately snapped towards his grimm’s chair. It was empty. Good. Frowning, Sean took a step forward. Was it possible that the scent he was catching was merely leftover from the day before?

 

But no… it was riper than the day before. Moving from the promise of something coming, to that burst that let him know the grimm was almost ready.

 

A grimm that wasn’t really his.

 

Pushing back the instincts that wanted him to recklessly charge after the grimm – to hunt him down and make him submit, Sean instead took a step towards his office.

 

The grimm was a grown man, and one who had lived as a grimm for the past three and a bit years. Surely Nick knew how to deal with things without having his overprotective Captain charging after him (although, Sean admitted privately, it did worry him a bit that he had never before caught even a whiff of the grimm, only to be suddenly slammed with his scent now).

 

“Captain!”

 

Turning, Sean came to a halt, watching as Captain Benson approached him. The other man was a steinadler, and always managed to say his title in a way that implied more deference than that for a simple police Captain. Benson was one of those wesen who knew about Sean’s… family.

 

“Benson,” he replied, forcing his voice to remain calm and even.

 

The other man gave him a somewhat strained smile. “Just thought you might want a heads up,” Benson replied. “Burkhardt’s in your office.”

 

Sean froze, even his breath stilling in his lungs.

 

Shuddering back into motion, he closed his eyes, drawing a deep, fortifying breath. Sometimes, he swore the grimm had _no_ sense of self-preservation whatsoever.

 

“Thank you,” he told Benson, giving his office a heavy look.

 

But before the Captain could move any further, he was interrupted once more.

 

“Captain,” Sergeant Wu said, sidling up to them. “You know Nick’s a little… on edge, right?” he asked. It was obvious he was keeping his words vague in case Benson didn’t know what was happening.

 

Somewhat surprised at the Sergeant’s knowing tone of voice, Sean raised an eyebrow in his direction.

 

Wu shrugged self-deprecatingly. “I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately,” he said.

 

“Ah,” Sean agreed. He could understand Wu’s desire to find out as much about the wesen world as he could, now that he was finally in the know.

 

“Anyway,” Wu continued. “There was a minor incident earlier that you should probably know about.”

 

Turning his full attention to the Sergeant, Sean silent urged him to continue.

 

“Three perps decided to escape custody,” Wu said. “Only, instead of running away, they ran straight towards Nick.”

 

Repressing the growl that wanted to escape him at that information – at the knowledge of just _why_ they would be running towards his detective, Sean waited not-so-patiently for Wu to continue. No doubt the perps had all been Alphas. Alphas who had smelt the fresh ripeness wafting off the foolish grimm’s skin, and decided to make their move on him.

 

“Nick, of course,” Wu said, “was perfectly able to handle them only...” he paused, as though trying to find the right words. “He was a little more… enthusiastic… than usual.”

 

Sean frowned. That almost sounded like…

 

“So, just as a warning,” Wu finished. “He’s edgy, and, uh… focused, right now. And he’s in your office.”

 

“Thank you Sergeant,” Sean replied, beginning to move towards his office once more. His mind spinning with thoughts. Theories. A feeling of anticipation and hope began to well up in him, much as he tried to push it away, reminding himself not to be foolish.

 

But there was only one reason for a grimm in heat to forcefully push three unmated Alphas away – if he had already chosen.

 

Oh, an Omega would push away any who hadn’t proven themselves, but that would usually take the form of pushing the Alphas to prove themselves, to fight each other, or some other task. But from what Wu had said, Nick hadn’t been interested in the Alpha’s proving themselves, no, instead, he’d only been interested in putting them down – hard and fast.

 

 

*

 

 

_Two Months Ago_

 

  
“Hold still,” the Captain demanded, reaching out to grasp his detective’s shoulder and prevent his wriggling.

 

Forcing himself to still, Nick raised his eyes to meet the Captain’s, grinning sheepishly at him. “Sorry,” he said.

 

Repressing the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant little-boy-please-forgive-me look the detective was shooting him, Sean pressed the alcohol wipe back against the grimm’s abraded skin.

 

Hissing through his teeth, Nick transferred his gaze to his broken skin, glaring at it as though it was somehow it’s fault he’d gotten hurt – again. And therefore his Captain had to patch him up – again.

 

“You’ll live,” Renard told him drily, removing the wipe in order to peer at the wounds.

 

Reaching out for a gauze dressing, he began to wind it around Nick’s shoulder.

 

“You know,” he continued, “if you would just be a _little more careful_ when chasing suspects -”

 

“I was careful!” Nick protested, shifting slightly before stilling himself as the increasing pressure of the bandage made his shoulder twinge in protest.

 

“Obviously not careful enough,” Renard replied. Fastening the bandage, he leant back on his heels to take in the grimm and determine if he needed any other first aid.

 

“I’m fine,” Nick replied, waving him off. “I’ll heal quick enough.”

 

Pursing his lips, the Captain began to gather up the remaining first aid supplies, returning them to the kit. “Perhaps,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you should go throwing yourself about recklessly and endangering your health.”

 

Sighing, Nick reached out for his shirt, struggling to try and get it over his head and injured shoulder.

 

Suppressing his own sigh, Renard moved forward, gently easing the grimm’s arm through one of the sleeves.

 

“I don’t get hurt deliberately,” Nick whined, slightly petulant.

 

“No,” Sean agreed. “But I would… appreciate it, if you would try a bit harder _not_ to get hurt, rather than acting as though you don’t care either way.”

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Opening the door of his office, Sean held his breath, peering inside. Despite his held breath, a wash of Omega scent rushed to greet him – sweet and ripe and _oh_ so enticing. The grimm had situated himself at the back of Sean’s office, spread out on the couch, where he was leant back, cheek resting against the soft leather.

 

Sighing, Sean stepping into the room, shutting the door behind him.

 

As though sensing his presence, the grimm’s eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. Gaze landing on Sean, Nick smiled, bright and brilliant.

 

Sean had to force his knees not to buckle.

 

Instead, pasting a scowl on his face, he glared at the grimm. “Burkhardt!” he snapped. “What, _exactly_ , do you think you’re doing at work today?”

 

In response, Nick simply pouted up at him, crossing his arms over his chest petulantly. “I’m fine,” he said.

 

Giving his detective a rather disbelieving look, Sean waited.

 

Sighing, Nick shifted on the couch, squirming in place. It sent another waft of scent straight at Sean, who pressed his lips tightly together and tried not to breath too much.

 

“Rosalee gave me some stuff to help,” Nick explained, “so I’m feeling much better than yesterday.” He frowned as he spoke, shifting again, as though not entirely certain that he _was_ feeling better.

 

Closing his eyes, Sean pinched the bridge of his nose. The grimm was going to be the death of him. He was sure of it. If he wasn’t killed trying to rescue said grimm from some danger he’d foolishly rushed headfirst into; he would combust from the immense amount of self-control he always had to exercise around him.

 

“Nick,” Sean said, speaking slowly, “you _do_ know what’s happening, right?”

 

Giving him a puzzled look, Nick shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah,” he said, “I’m presenting – again. Rosalee thinks it’s because of, you know, getting my powers back. Only, this time, it’s _worse._ ” He stressed the word in a way that let Sean know the grimm definitely felt that was an understatement.

 

He sighed.

 

Perhaps there was no need to worry. If this was worse than the grimm had ever experienced before, it suggested that Nick’s previous heats had been light – and explained why no-one had noticed them. Although Sean was sure Nick had to have done _something_ to block his scent during previous heats, perhaps something his Aunt had taught him – there was no way, with how much time they spent together, Sean would never have gotten a single whiff of Nick without the grimm actively doing something to block his scent.

 

Which begged the question – _why_ wasn’t Nick blocking his scent this time?

 

“So you decided to come into work?” Sean asked.

 

Nick shrugged, glancing up at him sheepishly. “You’re here,” he said.

 

Sean froze.

 

“I just, I needed to see you,” Nick continued.

 

Swallowing, Sean took a single step forward. “You needed to see me?” he asked.

 

Nick nodded. He was jiggling in place on the couch, as though wanting to shove himself off it and towards his Captain.

 

“Nick,” Sean said, holding himself still, despite every thought and instinct screaming at him to swoop down on the grimm. “I need you to be very clear for me – you _chose_ to come in to work in order to see me?” he asked.

 

Nodding, Nick pushed himself to his feet, almost bouncing in place. “Yeah,” he said. “I mean,” he blushed, ducking his head. “I just wanted to see you,” he admitted.

 

Barely holding himself back from pouncing on the grimm, Sean breathed deeply – which perhaps wasn’t such a great idea considering the wash of pheromones that hit him as he did so.

 

“Okay,” Sean said, “okay.” He didn’t dare let himself hope (not that he could really stop himself). Taking a chance, he stepped forward, reaching one hand outwards the grimm.

 

Nick stilled instantly under Sean’s hand, peering up at him from beneath his eyelashes, head tilted to the side to expose the long, pale column of his throat.

 

Drawing his breath in sharply, Sean tightened his fingers against Nick’s shoulder, drawing the grimm towards him.

 

“If you want me to stop,” he murmured, leaning down towards Nick’s neck.

 

But Nick didn’t stop him.

 

Nose resting against his grimm’s neck, Sean breathed in deeply, allowing himself to properly memorise the scent coming from him. Nick pressed into his touch, a soft whine falling from his lips.

 

Drawing back, Sean felt the smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

 

It seemed there was reason to hope after all.

 

 

 

*

 

 

_One Month Ago_

 

Ducking the fist flying at his head, Nick swiped out with his feet, knocking his attacker onto his back on the ground. For once, he had been set upon by an entirely non-wesen gang – it was refreshing to know that there was still simple human crime in the world (even if he wished there was no crime whatsoever), but the gang lacked the fear that generally accompanied a wesen attack against him.

 

Dodging another blow, Nick wondered whether he’d become too reliant on being the wesen’s ‘big bad’ and using that to his advantage.

 

There was a screech of tires behind him and he glanced over his shoulder just enough to see the Captain’s car skidding to a stop. Great, just what he needed. For the Captain to see his fumbling attempts at subduing these guys.

 

Blocking a punch, Nick struck out with his own hand, winding his attacker. Spinning, he kicked out at an approaching man’s leg, making it buckle under him. Hearing the _swish_ , Nick tilted to the side, letting the tyre iron pass him by harmlessly. Reaching out, he captured the man’s arm, twisting it as he spun and flipping the perp onto the ground.

 

There was a _click_.

 

Glancing up, Nick froze, seeing the final perp facing him with a gun in his hands, safety off. But, that wasn’t what froze Nick in place (although the perp obviously thought it was). No, Nick froze because he could also see who was _behind_ the perp.

 

A rather angry-looking Captain Renard.

 

Nick winced. Oh, he was so glad he wasn’t the perp right then.

 

The Captain’s hand drew back, before chopping forward, hitting the perp neatly at the base of his skull. The man crumpled immediately, the Captain’s other hand darting round to grab the gun from his lax grip.

 

Giving the man a contemptuous glance, Renard stepped over him, moving towards Nick.

 

“Detective,” he said.

 

“Captain,” Nick replied. He straightened up, pretending that he hadn’t frozen in sympathetic terror at seeing his Captain’s angry visage.

 

Renard sighed. “You better have a _very_ good explanation for this,” he said, indicating around them.

 

Oh, Nick realised, that was right. Hank was back at the station… which meant he’d come here without backup… swallowing, he glanced up to see his Captain’s disapproving gaze.

 

“Well...” he began.

 

But hey, at least, Renard had come to rescue him, right?

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Pressed against his Captain’s side, Nick felt his body relaxing into the warmth of the taller man. His skin hummed, a strange kind of buzzing having settled just beneath the surface. His guts clenched achingly around that empty space inside him, and every breath he took seemed to send a shock of arousal straight to his groin.

 

To say that Nick had not been surprised by the Captain’s admonishment for coming into work, or that he had expected or fully understood the other man’s words and actions (what _was_ with his nuzzling against Nick’s neck?) would be a stretch.

 

Of course, the way his knees went weak at the feel of his Captain’s nose against his neck, the flush he could feel spreading over his skin at the drag of air across his skin as Renard breathed in… Nick shuddered.

 

Turning, thoughts drifting idly amidst the wash of _want_ and _heat_ and _need_ and _here_ that ran over him, Nick leaned up, pressing his face against Renard’s neck. Breathing in, he hummed lightly, pleasure flowing out over him as he drew in the other man’s scent.

 

He was no longer _half-_ hard.

 

“Nick?” Gently, Sean pushed the grimm backwards, peering down into his face.

 

Nick blinked up at him. His cheeks were flushed. The back of Sean’s hand pressed against Nick’s forehead, and he hissed sympathetically.

 

“You’re warming up,” he said.

 

Nodding, Nick pressed into that hand. It felt stunningly cool against his hot skin. That faint buzzing had increased, body heating until his clothing felt oppressive. Nick groaned.

 

“Nick?” Sean repeated.

 

“Hot,” he replied, pushing his head against Sean’s hand. Licking his lips, he tried to force his mind to work. To focus on the situation he found himself in and figure out exactly what was going on.

 

All he knew was that, since the Captain had entered the room, his body temperature seemed to have sky-rocketed, and he had a strong urge to press himself closer to the other man.

 

Firm hands rested on Nick’s shoulders, pushing him gently backwards. “Nick,” Sean said, staring straight into the grimm’s eyes. “I think we should get you home.”

 

Nick nodded, although he felt that he would likely agree with anything that the other man said at that point in time. Instinctively, he wanted to please his Captain.

 

Simply standing by Renard filled him with feelings of protection, safety, comfort and calm. As though, despite the fact that he couldn’t quite figure out why, he subconsciously associated the taller man with those things. Expected them from him.

 

 

*

 

 

_Three Weeks Ago_

 

 

Skidding in the dirt, Nick shoved himself back to his feet, racing after the fleeing hundjager. Weaving between the trees, he followed the fleeing man down a small embankment, up the other side and over a small creek.

 

Boots splashing in the edges of the gently flowing water, Nick pushing himself harder. He _needed_ to catch this guy.

 

Feet flying beneath him, the grimm rounded a corner, seeing the distant carpark coming into view. No doubt the hundjager had a vehicle stashed there which he hoped to escape in.

 

Which meant Nick had to catch him before then.

 

Arms pumping, legs straining, Nick closed in on his quarry. The hungjager had had an excellent head-start on the grimm, but that was slowly closing.

 

It just wasn’t closing fast enough.

 

Gravel spraying up from his feet as he hit the carpark, Nick urged himself faster. The hundjager rounded a grey sedan, one hand grasping for the door handle, keys flashing in the other.

 

Ten feet.

 

Eight.

 

The hungjager lunged into the car, slamming the door behind him.

 

Six.

 

Four.

 

The car peeled away, side-swiping a white van as its driver revved the engine.

 

Three feet.

 

Five.

 

Leaping over a low wooden railing, Nick cut diagonally across the park, the sedan gaining speed as it accelerated around the corner, coming up fast on Nick’s right.

 

Right foot hitting the top of the subsequent wooden railing, Nick flung himself up and out, hands grasping at the edges of the car roof as he hit.

 

With a snarl, the hundjager spun the wheel, making the car fishtail from side to side.

 

Fingers scrabbling for purchase, Nick felt himself slipping. His feet pressed against the car’s trunk, seeking purchase.

 

With a squeal of tires, the hundjager engaged the handbrake, the car spinning 360 degrees as he did so, spitting up gravel around them.

 

Nick’s finger’s slipped, body flung to the side by the force of the car’s spin, and then off.

 

Hitting the ground hard, Nick rolled. Coughing up dirt and gravel, he shoved himself to his feet, ignoring the stinging in his hands and arms as he chased after the car.

 

But the sedan had hit a long stretch of road, quickly outpacing him.

 

Slowing to a halt, Nick cursed, anger washing through him as he watched the perp get away. Snarling, he spun towards a nearby tree, fist drawing back before flying forward towards the trunk.

 

A large hand covered his, halting his punch.

 

Hissing, Nick turned, freezing as he found himself staring up at his Captain.

 

“Hurting yourself isn’t going to help anything,” Renard told him calmly. The taller man was breathing heavily, and Nick was dimly aware that Renard had followed him on the crazy chase through the woods. Indeed, the Captain’s coat was slightly out of place, though other than that he didn’t appear to have just been dashing through the woods.

 

“It’ll make me feel better,” Nick replied, frustration lacing his words.

 

“Perhaps,” Renard agreed, hand gently pulling Nick’s fist down between them, fingers sliding over his fist in a soothing motion. “Before it starts to hurt.”

 

Nick grimaced, but made no reply, knowing his Captain was right.

 

“Come on,” Renard said, giving Nick’s hand a gentle tug. “We won’t be able to follow him now, but I’m sure you got the number plate.” He raised one eyebrow in a silent question that didn’t reach his tone.

 

Nick nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed. He’d at least been able to get that.

 

“Then we should head back to the station,” the Captain said. “We’ll put an APB out on the car, and with luck, we’ll still be able to bring him in.” His voice was soothing, calm and even, fingers still stroking over Nick’s fist, which unconsciously relaxed within his Captain’s hand.

 

“Although,” Renard added, eyes tracing over Nick’s dusty and grazed form, “perhaps we should get you fixed up first.”

 

At Renard’s words, Nick glanced down at himself. He was covered in dirt and bits of gravel. Immediately, pain made itself rather persistently known in his hands and arms, along with his knees and a few other places.

 

Making a face, the grimm used his free hand to pluck some gravel from his shirt. His hand was grazed – cut by the gravel, and bleeding sluggishly.

 

“Wait here,” the Captain instructed him, leading Nick over to the low wooden railing and pushing him down into a seat on it. “I’ll bring the car around.”

 

Nodding, Nick watched his Captain jog off into the trees, heading back for the car they had left behind.

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

With the grimm pressed to his side, Sean found it rather hard to focus on what he needed to do. The heat was obviously hitting the grimm much harder than it ever had before – Nick had admitted as much.

 

Which meant that the best place for him was at home. Where he could relax in familiar surroundings and try to ride out the rest of his heat.

 

A thrill of anticipation and lust shot through Sean at the thought, but he brushed it aside not yet willing, despite the grimm’s assurances, to completely let himself believe that Nick had chosen him.

 

“Nick,” he said, running one hand soothingly down Nick’s arm as he did so. “Have you left anything at your desk that you need to grab?” He could have waited until they left his office to ask, perhaps even stopped Nick by the detective’s desk – but somehow he felt that it was better to ask in the relative safety they had in the office, away from prying eyes that would likely realise there was something not-quite-right with the detective.

 

Humming, Nick shifted, pressing his face against Sean’s chest through his shirt, rubbing his cheek against the material. The heat was definitely hitting him hard.

 

“Nick?” Sean prompted once more.

 

“No,” Nick replied, words half-muffled against the taller man’s shirt. “Jus’ came in here. To see you.”

 

Ignoring the way his pulse quickened at that, Sean gently pushed Nick away from himself. The grimm whined at the loss of contact, heavy-lidded eyes in a flushed face peering up at him in remonstrance.

 

“We need to get you home,” Sean repeated in explanation, turning Nick towards the door. “Think you can make it through the bullpen on your own?”

 

The hand that, at some stage, had latched onto his own, gave Sean’s a hard squeeze, before reluctantly letting go.

 

Drawing a deep breath, visibly stealing himself, Nick nodded.

 

“Okay,” Sean agreed.

 

Reaching out, he opened his office door, gesturing Nick out before him. The grimm walked out steadily, as though he hadn’t just been pressed up against his superior while flushed with the beginnings of heat. Despite that, his face was still flushed, small beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

 

 

 

Catching sight of them leaving the office, Wu grimaced. “I do _not_ envy Nick right now,” he muttered.

 

“What?” Hank asked. Turning to the sergeant in confusion he glanced between Nick and Wu. “I mean, sure, he doesn’t exactly look great today.”

 

“Doesn’t look great?” Wu snorted. “He looks like this is going to be a bad one.”

 

“This?” Hank asked.

 

“Sure,” Wu agreed, giving Hank a look like he should know what he was talking about. “This heat.”

 

Hank frowned. “You lost me,” he said.

 

It was Wu’s turn to frown. “Heat?” he repeated. “That thing Nick goes through every three to four months?”

 

He would have continued, but a rising tension around them had him turning back to watching Nick and Renard make their way across the bullpen. Despite the fact that the two men weren’t touching, Renard hovered at Nick’s back, so close they may as well have been. And wasn’t that interesting?

 

Captain Benson passed by the doors, before quickly back-tracking and holding them open for the two men. He nodded to Renard as they passed.

 

All around the bullpen, Wu noted that a number of officers and detectives had stiffened, either holding themselves eerily still, or avidly watching the two men’s progress. He was pretty sure some of them were sniffing the air.

 

And wasn’t that an insight into some of the people he worked with every day?

 

 

 

“Captain,” Benson said, nodding to Sean, before turning to Nick. “Detective.” His eyes softened in sympathy as he took in the sweat dotting Nick’s brow. “Will you be okay?” he asked.

 

“Yeah,” Nick nodded with a grimace – his guts had decided to start churning somewhat once more. “Sean’ll look after me.” He didn’t appear to realise quite what he’d said – what it meant – or that he’d called his Captain by his first name.

 

Considering the way the grimm’s limbs almost seemed to be shaking as he moved, however, Benson figured they should cut the poor Omega some slack. He was honestly surprised the grimm was able to still move so calmly on his own power.

 

At least Nick’s answer assured him that his assumption (and the assumption of almost every wesen Nick had met since his heat started kicking in this time) had been correct.

 

The only reason the grimm had come into work was to track down his Captain.

 

It appeared the gossips were right – the grimm Omega had chosen an Alpha.

 

 

 

*

 

 

_Three Weeks Ago_

 

 

Easing himself into the passenger seat of his Captain’s car, Nick grimaced as his grazes pulled with his movements.

 

The Captain navigated them easily back towards the city, casting an assessing glance at his Detective as he did so.

 

“My place is closer,” he said, an unspoken question within the phrase.

 

Nick nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed.

 

Suppressing the smile that wanted to emerge at the grimm’s easy capitulation, Sean turned at the next corner, heading towards his house. Nick really was in no state to be walking back into the precinct unless he wanted everyone there to be all over him – they would either be trying to patch him up or ribbing him mercilessly. Neither of which, Sean thought, the grimm would welcome right then.

 

It didn’t take long before he was pulling up outside his house. Stepping out of the car, he moved around to Nick’s side, hand reaching out automatically to help the grimm up and out.

 

Flashing Renard a grateful smile, Nick shuffled towards the front door, Sean slipping ahead of him in order to unlock it.

  
The Captain’s house, as Nick had always imagined, was spacious, elegant, and yet somehow comforting despite all that.

 

Allowing himself to be gently led through to the bathroom and perched upon the edge of the bath, Nick sat quietly while Renard gathered supplies.

 

A warm washcloth was applied to Nick’s hands and arms, making him hiss as the Captain carefully washed his wounds, cleaning them of gravel and dirt.

 

Making a face, Renard motioned to Nick’s left arm. “There’s a bit of gravel stuck there,” he said. Placing the washcloth down, he picked up a pair of tweezers, eyes meeting Nick’s.

 

Nodding, Nick braced himself.

 

The tweezers hurt, scraping against his already raw skin, but then he felt the stone give way, Renard dropping it to the side of the sink.

 

Having bathed Nick’s arms and hands, the Captain stepped backwards, surveying him. There was a patch of dark red on Nick’s jeans, just above his right knee.

 

“Pants off,” Sean decided, motioning for his Detective to do so.

 

Instantly, Nick blushed.

 

Intrigued, Sean watched the colour race up the grimm’s face and down his neck.

 

Despite that, Nick pushed himself to his feet, hands going to his belt to unbuckle it. Within moments, he was pushing his jeans down his thighs, hissing as they caught against the drying blood on his knees.

 

Wincing in sympathy, Sean knelt down, reaching out to help ease the jeans down the grimm’s legs and off. Each knee, he saw, was covered in an impressive graze, both of which had reopened as the jeans tore away the dried blood.

 

Grabbing the washcloth once more, Sean repeated his ministrations, carefully cleaning the grimm’s wounds.

 

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asked, looking up at Nick sternly from where he knelt before him. He would not allow the grimm to brush aside his injuries as he was often so wont to do.

 

Nick shrugged, glancing away.

 

Sean sighed. That was a ‘yes’.

 

“Where?” he asked.

 

Reaching down, Nick lifted the edge of his shirt, showing red, abraded skin running up his side.

 

Standing, Sean helped ease the shirt from the grimm, before turning his attention to the long strip of raw skin along Nick’s side. No doubt from when the grimm had hit the ground after flying off the car.

 

Already there were bruises beginning to form beneath the red skin.

 

Once all of Nick’s wounds were cleaned, Sean treated them with antiseptic cream, before covering them with gauze. His hands were gentle, touch light but sure. Moving steadily and confidently as he treated his detective.

 

“There,” he said finally, taking a step back from the grimm. There was gauze covering the detective’s hands, arms, knees and side. Sean was definitely glad he had insisted they treat Nick’s wounds before returning to the precinct, in fact…

 

“You should stay here,” he said, beginning to gather up the remaining supplies.

 

Nick glanced up at him. “I can work,” he said.

 

“Perhaps,” Sean agreed. “But that doesn’t mean that you _have_ to. You’re injured. Take the time to let yourself heal.”

 

Nick shrugged. “They won’t last long,” he said.

 

Scowling, Sean slammed the roll of gauze back down onto the bathroom counter. “Enough!” he snapped. “I have heard you say that far too often.” He glared at his grimm. “Just because you heal quickly doesn’t mean you don’t hurt,” he said, voice firm though no longer raised. “I will not have you throwing yourself into danger all the time simply because ‘it’ll heal’. That is not an acceptable excuse.”

 

Spinning on his heel, he swiftly left the bathroom.

 

Grimacing, Nick slowly followed after the other man. Somehow aware that his Captain was more upset by this than Nick had ever before realised.

 

He found Renard in the kitchen, leaning against the bench.

 

“Sorry,” he said, shuffling in place.

 

Turning to face him, Renard smoothed his face out of the scowl it had been in. “As am I,” he said, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

 

Sheepishly, Nick ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know,” he said, “sometimes I probably deserve it.” He shot a wry grin at his Captain.

 

Which successfully drew a small quirk of Renard’s lips and softening of the skin around his eyes, in response.

 

“I’ll stay here, if you want,” Nick continued, “for a bit. But we’ll need to call the station, let them know to put out an APB -”

 

“Already done,” Renard replied, holding up a hand to halt the detective’s words. “I called them while fetching the car. As soon as it’s found, we’ll know.”

 

Nick nodded.

 

“Now,” Sean said, pushing himself away from the bench and moving over towards Nick. “Let’s get you comfortable.” Gently, he grasped the grimm’s upper arm, leading him towards a rather comfortable-looking sofa.

 

“I should probably grab my clothes,” Nick muttered, face flushing once more as he realised he was walking around his Captain’s house in his underwear.

 

“Your clothes have blood on them,” Renard replied. “I’ll grab you something.” Leaving Nick by the couch, he swiftly headed up the stairs to his room, returning moments later with a soft shirt and pants in his hands. “Here,” he said, handing them over.

 

Taking the offered clothing, Nick slipped into them. Both were too big for him – the shirt hanging to his mid-thighs and the pants pooling over his feet. But they were soft and clean and carried the faintest scent of his Captain in them.

 

Sinking down onto the couch cushions, Nick breathed out a relieved sigh. He felt his body going boneless as he lay down, a sense of warmth and comfort washing over him.

 

A cool hand brushed against his forehead.

 

“Get some sleep,” the Captain said. “I’ll wake you if the car’s found.”

 

Eyes already drifting closed, Nick had a vague thought that he could do with getting used to this.

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Guiding Nick into the elevator, Sean had to practically hold his breath in order to not react to the pheromones the grimm was letting off. Just what had the grimm been taking in the past that had allowed his other heats to proceed unnoticed?

 

Reaching the underground carpark, Sean guided Nick out of the elevator and towards his own car. There was no way he was going to let the grimm try and drive himself home.

 

Getting into the car next to the grimm was almost as bad as the elevator, so Sean made quick work of lowering the car windows, letting the fresh breeze wash over them as he headed towards Nick’s house.

 

The breeze seemed to revive Nick somewhat and he moaned gently in appreciation of the coolness against his forehead. He felt like there was something important he should be telling his Captain, but whenever his thoughts drifted in that direction, he soon lost his train of thought.

 

The slowing of the car roused Nick, and he glanced up to see that Renard had pulled up outside his house.

 

“Come on, Nick,” the Captain said, opening his detective’s door. “Let’s get you inside.”

 

Glancing from Sean to his house, Nick frowned.

 

“Nick?” Sean queried. “You’re home. Let’s -”

 

“No,” Nick said.

 

“No?” Sean repeated in confusion.

 

Nick shook his head. “Not home,” he said, glaring mutinously at his house.

 

Sean glanced at the grimm’s house. “Where is home, then?” he asked. Perhaps the grimm felt more secure at the trailer? he wondered. As an Omega in heat, Nick would instinctively seek out the place he felt most comfortable and secure. His territory. Or home.

 

When Nick made no reply, simply frowning in thought, Sean prompted him. “The trailer?” he asked.

 

But Nick shook his head. “No,” he said.

 

“And it’s not here?” Sean gestured towards the house.

 

“No,” Nick agreed. “It’s… too big, too empty. Alone.” He gave a shake of his head, listing towards the Captain.

 

Reaching out, Sean steadied him. “Nick,” he said, “where do you want to go?”

 

“You,” Nick replied.

 

Sean froze. His heart beat painfully in his chest and he had to deliberately draw a deep breath in slowly. “Me?” he asked.

 

Nick nodded. His skin was hot and prickly, his guts _ached_ with how empty he felt, and he just wanted to be closer to the other man.

 

“S’why I went to the station,” he said, “’cos you would be there.”

 

Swallowing, Sean nodded. “Okay,” he said, “okay.” He drew another deep breath. “Would it be okay if we went to my place?” he asked.

 

Nick’s face immediately lit up, although there was a kind of wonder in it that suggested the grimm hadn’t simply been being reluctant to voice what he really wanted, but rather that he was only just now realising where his instincts had claimed as ‘his’ for his heat.

 

Then Nick paused. “I don’t want to put you out,” he said.

 

“Do you want me to leave?” Sean asked, heart clenching within him.

 

“No!” Nick immediately replied, hand latching onto the other man’s arm.

 

Smiling softly, Sean gently removed Nick’s hand, giving it a squeeze as he did so. “Okay,” he said, “then I’ll stay. And you won’t be putting me out. It would be my honor.” Stepping back, he closed the car door, moving around to hop back into the driver’s seat.

 

Sean’s skin prickled with excitement and a sense of anticipation that he was only then really allowing himself to feel. Blood rushed through his veins, reacting to the pheromones the grimm was sending out as he relaxed his iron control over his own body.

 

Nick had chosen _him_.


	4. meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean takes Nick back to his place, where the Omega happily stakes his claim on the house for the duration of his heat - even if he's not really aware that's what he's actually doing. Then Nick's heat hits him fully...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual lately, thanks go to @TeamRenhardt and @wesen90 for their wonderful encouragement, suggestions and inspiration! Bella - you'll know which bits of this come from _that_ conversation. ;)
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS: for extreme smut in this one. It is ABO, after all. ;)  
> (also, if you haven't read ABO fic before, please be aware that the nature of heat can be considered dub-con - I try to make it as clear as possible that Nick does want this, even if he's not fully aware of what exactly heat entails and why he's suddenly so turned on - but his ignorance of heat could be seen to make his consent a bit dubious, so please be aware of that).

It was a good thing that Sean Renard, police Captain, bastard Royal, and half-zauberbiest had iron-clad control – even when beginning to relax. Despite the car windows being fully open and the fact that he was taking the quickest route he knew between Detective Burkhardt’s house and his one, the pheromones flooding the car from Nick’s heat were beginning to affect him.

 

Sean could feel his skin prickling, drawing tight and flushing sympathetically towards the grimm omega’s heat. His scent, he knew, was subtly changing, adding his own pheromones into the mix. And his zauberbeist half was pressing up beneath the surface, eager to claim the grimm who had come to him – chosen _him_.

 

Next to him in the car, Nick _panted_ , breath coming in short gasps. A quick glance showed the sweat dotting Nick’s brow. His heat was certainly increasing quickly. Letting out a soft moan, Nick’s head dropped backwards, exposing the long line of his throat. Sean swallowed. If he wasn’t driving…

 

Forcing himself to focus on the road, Sean almost jumped when a warm hand landed on his thigh, gripping tightly.

 

“Sorry,” Nick gasped out beside him. “I just – I need -”

 

Not trusting himself to speak, Sean simply nodded, trying to ignore the weight of that hand against his thigh. And the urge to move it higher.

 

Pulling to a stop outside his house, Sean barely took the time to ensure the handbrake was on before he was out of the car and moving around to the passenger side. Opening the door, he reached out, catching the grimm as Nick practically tumbled towards him.

 

“It’s meant to be getting better,” Nick complained petulantly to him. “Why isn’t it getting better?” He pouted up at Sean, as though somehow Sean should be able to fix everything for him – including the heat now pouring off the grimm’s skin.

 

“It’s okay, Nick,” Sean soothed. “It’ll get better soon enough.” Wrapping his arm around the younger man’s waist, he led him towards the front door. Through the contact of their bodies, Sean felt the other man relaxing as they moved towards the house. Further confirmation that the omega really had chosen Sean’s place as his territory.

 

It sent a wash of pride flowing over Sean. That he, somehow, had given the omega that feeling of comfort and safety needed for him to claim the house as his territory.

 

Getting the door open, Sean led Nick inside, moving him towards the living room and the couch there. But, as they walked, Nick drew upwards and away from Sean, staring about himself. Sean had never seen an omega do this before, but he had heard about it.

 

When claiming a territory for their own during heat, an omega would explore the entire territory, fixing it in their minds, before deciding where they would like to start nesting.

 

Moving through the house, Nick ran his hands over the walls, the benches and paintings, the stair-railing, everything was touched – leaving a little of the omega’s scent behind. Claiming it as his for the duration of his heat.

 

Swallowing hard, Sean pushed back the moan that wanted to leave his throat.

 

Nick gave the same treatment to the upstairs rooms, hand lingering against Sean’s pillows, nostrils flaring as he drew in the scent of the other man. For a moment, Sean thought the grimm would press his face into the pillows to properly scent them, but he refrained.

 

Drawing away from the pillows, Nick glanced at the bed for a moment – Sean thought, perhaps, he would claim it as his nest, before turning away and heading back downstairs.

 

There was a slight tension in the grimm’s back as he left the room that made Sean frown. While it might be torture for him later if he was reading all these signs wrong, he wouldn’t deny the omega in heat the use of his bed if he wanted it.

 

But Nick didn’t ask.

 

Following Nick downstairs, Sean found him perched on the couch in the sitting room. The grimm’s face was flushed, eyes bright, and his knee was jiggling up and down.

 

He glanced up, blushing as he saw Sean approaching. “Sorry,” he said, waving one hand around to indicate his wanderings through the house. “I don’t know what came over me.”

 

Sean raised one eyebrow, surprised that the grimm had never exhibited this behaviour before. But perhaps a heat spent in his own home, already saturated with his scent, didn’t necessitate such things.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “It’s perfectly natural.”

 

Nick blushed, but grinned back at him.

 

 

*

 

 

_Two Weeks Ago_

 

Pressing the ice firmly against his Captain’s face, Nick watched carefully for any signs of concussion. Frowning, Renard crossed his arms. “I’m fine,” he told the grimm.

 

Nick scoffed. “What?” he asked. “Just like I’m always fine? You never believe me, so why should I believe you?” His hand was beginning to go numb from holding the ice, but he ignored that.

 

A large bruise covered the Captain’s right cheek, spreading from his temple down to his chin. Just looking at it made Nick want to wince in sympathy. Not to mention that his… concern… for his Captain was greater than he had thought it would be.

 

It was no secret – at least in the deepest recesses of his mind where he didn’t acknowledge things – that Nick found his Captain attractive. But there was a difference between attraction and the kind of worrying affection he was currently feeling.

 

Oh, Nick was generally a nice guy, and generally compassionate to others. If he’d seen someone he didn’t know get injured the way the Captain had, he would have leant a hand. But that was compassion.

 

This… well, it felt an awful lot like affection. Which was not something he was entirely sure he should be feeling for his superior officer.

 

“I’ve got it,” the Captain spoke up, breaking Nick out of his thoughts. A large hand covered his own, and Nick blinked, glancing down to see the Captain’s long fingers wrapped around his own.

 

Slowly, he withdrew his hand, allowing the Captain to hold the ice himself. He gave the other man a stern look.

 

“Are you going to keep it there if I leave?” he asked.

 

A smile twitched at the corners of Renard’s lips, pulling a following grimace from him as it tugged against his bruise. Nick hissed in sympathy.

 

“Yes, Detective,” Renard replied, humour in his voice.

 

Nick blushed. “Right, well,” he muttered, gesturing towards the bullpen and out of the Captain’s office. “I’ll just leave you to it, then.”

 

But even as he left, he determined to check in again on his Captain – soon.

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Standing, Nick began to pace around the living room. His gaze snapped towards the large floor-to-ceiling windows and the view beyond of Portland. A sense of satisfaction filled him as he looked out over the city.

 

It was something he had felt before – but never quite so viscerally.

 

Giving himself a shake, he began to move once more. Whatever was going on with him – and really, _why_ was getting his grimm powers back so different to how he’d received them the first time? Wasn’t it a little late for any after-effects of getting them back to be kicking in? Everything had been fine so far…

 

Well, Nick’s skin was no longer just prickling. It was buzzing. Energy pulsed through his veins, pushing him to stand up. To move. To do _something_.

 

Sweat ran down his face and the back of his neck. If he had been alone, he would have taken his clothes off – the material felt rough and coarse against his skin – harsh in a way he could hardly believe from his well-worn and loved clothing.

 

What was going on with him?

 

Coming to a halt before the windows, Nick leant forward, resting against the cool glass for a moment.

 

“Nick?”

 

The Captain’s voice, so close behind, made him jump. Turning, Nick gave his Captain a sheepish look.

 

“Sorry,” he said. “I can’t seem to sit still. I just...” he let his voice trail off, giving a shake of his head.

 

Reaching out, Sean placed a hand on Nick’s shoulder and _Oh!_ that helped. That helped a lot. Leaning into the touch, Nick hummed lightly in the back of his throat, feeling a wash of contentment roll over him.

 

Now if Sean could just keep touching him…

 

A flash of skin and prickle of heat sparked behind Nick’s closed eyes and he opened them with a gasp – because he recognised that smooth expanse of muscled skin that kept invading his thoughts now – it was his Captain’s back.

 

A prickle ran down his spine, that empty ache inside him both settled and _grew_ somehow, ass and gut clenched against it.

 

Gasping, Nick pressed his hands against the glass of the window. His cock, he distantly realised, had been hard ever since he entered the Captain’s office. Since he drew in that scent that permeated the room – and this house. A kind of warm spice, laced with power, lightning.

 

A scent, Nick realised, which was coming from his Captain.

 

Immediately, his press against the glass changed direction, pushing his body back towards the strong frame of the Captain’s. Behind him, Sean shifted, situating himself so that the grimm could comfortably lean into him, easily taking Nick’s weight.

 

Sighing in contentment, Nick turned his head, nuzzling at the firm chest beneath his cheek. He wanted to climb into that scent and never come out. Distantly, part of his mind questioned his actions, asking just what he was doing? What would the Captain think of him?

 

But, truth was, those thoughts seemed very far away. The hotter he grew, the less Nick felt able to think, instead simply feeling.

 

“You doing okay?” Sean questioned. A cool hand brushed against Nick’s forehead and he hummed happily. This. This was what he needed right then. “Nick?”

 

Another hum.

 

Sean gave a soft laugh. “Do you want to sit down?” he asked.

 

Nick considered that – _did_ he want to sit down? Well yes – the idea of snuggling up to the other man, allowing himself to be wrapped up in those strong arms was incredibly appealing. And yet, no, because every breath he drew seemed to send his body temperature higher and higher.

 

“Hot,” he moaned out, pressing his face against Sean’s chest, as though nudging for him to do something.

 

“I know,” Sean soothed, hand running over Nick’s hair. “Did you want to try and cool down a little?” he asked.

 

Nick nodded, face brushing against Sean.

 

“Okay,” the other man agreed. “Then we have a few options. I can get you a glass of water.” Instantly, Nick’s hands darted out, latching onto the other man’s arms. He didn’t want Sean going anywhere.

 

“Okay,” Sean replied with a chuckle. “Or we could draw you a bath? Some cool water to lie in?”

 

Much as the bath the day before had helped, Nick had a feeling he didn’t really want to be in a bath. He couldn’t quite say why – the idea of being cooler was incredibly appealing, but something in him was saying no. Not yet.

 

He shook his head.

 

Sean hummed in thought. “Did you want to remove your shirt?” he asked.

 

Nick hesitated. The answer, one that immediately came to mind, was Yes! He would love to remove his shirt – and not just his shirt.

 

Not only was he hot, but it was scratching at him terribly.

 

A gentle nod.

 

“Okay,” Sean agreed once more.

 

Gentle hands pushed Nick backwards. He whined in complaint, but stopped as soon as they moved to the buttons on his shirt, undoing them. As soon as Nick’s shirt fell open, he sighed in relief. He’d foregone wearing an undershirt that day and the press of cool air against his skin had him wanting to sag where he stood.

 

Carefully, Sean eased the shirt down and off the grimm’s arms, before tossing it aside towards the couch. Lips parted, eyes bright, yet somehow darkened with lust at the same time, Nick stared back at him. A soft moan left the grimm’s lips, and Sean had a sudden desire to claim the grimm’s mouth and swallow that sound.

 

He shuddered. His own instincts were coming more and more to the fore the more time he spent in the omega’s company.

 

“Nick,” he said, trying to choose his words carefully. “I need to know – I need to make sure – do you want me to stay?”

 

The hands around his arms tightened, as though afraid Sean would try to pull away.

 

“Yes,” Nick replied. He wasn’t entirely sure just why he wanted the Captain to stay, but he was absolutely certain that he did.

 

If Sean left, Nick would likely follow after him.

 

A deep breath left Sean’s body, causing him to tilt towards Nick. “Thank you,” he said.

 

Nick wasn’t entirely sure why he was being thanked – surely he should be the one thanking Sean for agreeing to stay?

 

But he was too happy that the other man was staying to question it much.

 

 

*

 

 

_One Week Ago_

 

 

“All I’m saying,” Hank said, waving one of his fries in the air as he spoke, “is that you’ve been acting a little differently around the Captain lately.”

 

Nick made a face. “Have not,” he replied.

 

Hank grinned at him. Nick – picking up on his partner’s train of thought – rolled his eyes. Then poked his tongue out. Perhaps his response was juvenile, but if Hank was going to think that anyway, then he may as well make the most of it.

 

“You have,” Hank insisted, “surely you’ve noticed that, not only are you including him more in things, but you often look to him first for approval now? There was a time you wouldn’t have cared what he thought – or would have deliberately gone against it.”

 

Nick shrugged. “We’re friends,” he said. “That’s all.”

 

“Really?” Hank asked. “’Cos, see, I figure we’re friends too, right?”

 

Nick nodded slowly, not entirely sure where the other man was going with this but fairly sure he wasn’t going to like it.

 

Hank also nodded. “Right,” he said. “But I don’t see you looking at me the way you look at the Captain.”

 

Leaning forward, Nick took a bite of his burger, wondering just how to answer his partner. He wasn’t looking at the Captain any differently than he had before, was he?

 

Sure, he felt closer to the other man. More comfortable around him. He trusted him, Nick realised, slowing in his chewing as that thought washed over him. Despite all the things in their pasts, he trusted Sean.

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Shifting in place where he stood, Nick made a face. His pants were becoming unbearable. Not only was he hot, but it felt like they were beginning to chafe him.

 

Without thought, his hands dropped from Sean’s arms, down to unbuckle his belt and begin to slide the jeans down off his legs.

 

Kicking his shoes off and stepping out of his pants, Nick blushed as he glanced up towards his Captain. He’d just stripped down to his underwear in front of the other man without so much as an ‘excuse me’.

 

“Here,” was all Sean said, reaching out to take the jeans from Nick’s lax hands, tossing them aside to rest with his shirt. “Better?” he asked.

 

Nick nodded. It was better. Having cool air against his skin was infinitely better than his clothing had been. Now if only he could remove…. He blushed again as he realised that not only was he considering removing his underwear, but that his hard cock was most likely clearly visible through them.

 

Reaching out, Sean drew Nick back in towards him, enfolding the grimm in his arms. Despite the press of the other man’s body, or the warmth where skin-met-skin along their arms, Nick felt, somehow, as though the parts of him pressed against Sean weren’t quite as hot as the rest of him.

 

“Come on,” Sean said, voice soft, as though coaxing the grimm. “Why don’t we sit down?” He moved Nick gently over to the couch, where he pulled the grimm down beside him, ensuring that their sides were touching.

 

But that wasn’t quite right, Nick decided. Turning, he pulled back from Sean just enough so that he could reach out, grabbing at the other man, pulling his long legs up onto the couch – so that Nick could settle in between them, leaning back against his chest.

 

Letting out a sigh at the contentment that washed through him in that position, Nick let his eyes drift shut.

 

He felt lazy and content – his cock was still hard, his skin still prickled, and he was still flushed. But somehow, he knew that he had a short reprieve. A brief time where he could just relax with Sean.

 

Turning his head so that his nose pressed into the junction between Sean’s shoulder and neck, Nick hummed contentedly.

 

This. This was what he needed.

 

 

Watching his grimm get settled, Sean let a smile cross his face. Soothingly, he ran one hand up and down Nick’s arm, while the other stroked through the grimm’s hair.

 

The scent of happy, contented omega washed towards him, with just a burst of ripeness underneath.

 

It would not be long now.

 

 

 

*

 

 

_Four Days Ago_

 

It was as he resisted the urge, once more, to turn around and peer towards his Captain’s office, that Nick realised he was in trouble. Capital T.

 

Groaning, he let his head thump down onto his desk.

 

“Careful,” came the cheerful voice of Wu as he passed by. “I hear doing that kills brain cells. I reckon you’re gonna need all the ones you’ve got.”

 

Nick turned his head enough to send a glare towards the sergeant. Wu just grinned unrepentantly back at him.

 

“Got another one for you,” Wu said, passing him a folder.

 

Sitting up, Nick leant over it with Hank, looking through their newest case.

 

At least a case, he thought, would help distract him from the fact that, somehow, he seemed to be falling not just in lust, but also in love, with his Captain.

 

 

 

*

 

 

_Present_

 

 

Nick slowly drifted up from the light doze he had fallen into. He was warm, comfortable – and that strange energy was building up beneath his skin again. It pressed ujnderneath his skin, urging him back into awareness, with a sense of urgency and strength that hadn’t been there before.

 

Gasping, Nick thrust his hips down once more, enjoying the slide of hard muscle against his aching cock.

 

Eyes flying open, Nick stared down at Sean, caught between the desire to blush as he realised he’d woken up _humping his Captain’s leg_ , and the desire _to_ _keep doing so_ as pleasure washed over him.

 

Sean was staring back at him, eyes dark with something Nick couldn’t quite name. One large hand was still stroking up and down his arm, the other tangled in his hair. There was no hesitation, no rebuke on the other man’s face.

 

Nick’s hips jerked downwards. In response, Sean shifted his thigh, pressing up against the grimm.

 

Letting his head fall forward with a moan, Nick pressed his open mouth against Sean’s neck, tasting as much as he was smelling the other man’s scent. His cock felt harder than it had ever been before, like he could literally drill through something with it, and his ass clenched painfully around that awful emptiness.

 

He _needed_ to be filled.

 

It wasn’t just an ache. A pain to be ignored or worked through. It was need. Filling his thoughts and driving his actions.

 

Mouthing against Sean’s neck, Nick let the taste of the other man wash over his tongue. It was even better than he had imagined (and yes, he admitted to himself, while humping Sean’s leg, he _had_ imagined it before).

 

Sean let out a gasp, neck arching up towards Nick’s lips, hands tightening reflexively against the grimm.

 

It wasn’t enough, Nick realised. It wasn’t nearly enough.

 

Not the taste. Not the pressure against his cock. Not the soft sounds of approval falling from Sean’s mouth. He _needed more_.

 

His ass clenched, gut churning around that terrible emptiness inside – and suddenly he knew just what he needed. What would make it all better. Would stop the pain of being empty and the need that was boiling within him.

 

He needed Sean’s cock in his ass.

 

Hands reaching up to knead against Sean’s shoulders, Nick let his lips trail down the other man’s neck. Catching against Sean’s shirt, Nick frowned, mouthing against the material for a moment, before his hands slipped between them, seeking Sean’s shirt buttons.

 

But he didn’t want to remove his mouth from Sean’s neck, which meant he couldn’t look at what he was doing. Surely he could undo some buttons without looking?

 

Fingers fumbling against the fastenings on Sean’s clothes, Nick let a soft growl (and since when did he growl?) escape his throat in frustration as they refused to easily part.

 

Beneath him, Sean chuckled, moving Nick up and down against his chest.

 

“Let me,” he said.

 

But Nick wasn’t going to wait – he was _hot_ and _empty_ and he _needed_. So he tensed his muscles, ripping his Captain’s shirt apart.

 

There was a sharply indrawn breath from the Captain – though whether it was horror at what Nick had done to his shirt, or arousal at the same, Nick wasn’t entirely sure. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

 

The Captain, unlike Nick, was wearing an undershirt, making another growl fall from Nick’s lips as he encountered it.

 

With a chuckle, Sean pushed himself upright, lifting Nick – on his chest – easily. Reaching down, he grasped the ends of his undershirt, tugging it up and over his chest, before tossing it away behind them, ignoring where it fell.

 

Humming happily, Nick mouthed against Sean’s bared chest, taking his time to trace his tongue over the muscles he found there. A lick, a nip, a kiss. Over and over again he repeated the motions, slowing making his way down Sean’s chest.

 

The other man was almost entirely smooth, and Nick admitted to himself that he liked it – liked the smooth glide of skin beneath tongue and lips.

 

Reaching Sean’s bellybutton, he paused, determined to lathe that area with as much attention as he could. Sean’s strong stomach muscles clenched beneath him as the other man tensed, holding himself still.

 

Grinning, Nick dipped his tongue into that crevice, in and out, in and out. His ass clenched, something cold and wet trickling down his crack.

 

Nick froze.

 

What on earth?

 

His ass was damp, he realised. Sticky. Almost as though he’d had someone come against him – but he knew that hadn’t happened. What was going on?

 

His ass took that moment to clench once more, tightening around that _emptiness_ that was filling him. At the same time, he felt a trickle of _something_ dribble out of his ass.

 

Beneath Nick, Sean shuddered.

 

Attention firmly drawn back to the man beneath him, Nick placed another kiss to his bellybutton, before moving lower.

 

Sean’s belt was quickly undone, Sean obligingly lifting his hips so that Nick could pull it from the loops and toss it aside. He wanted to undo Sean’s pants. To get at the cock he could feel straining against them. But he also wanted in his mouth _now_!

 

Giving a shudder as yet another rush of _want_ washed over him, Nick ducked his mouth down, mouthing at the material of Sean’s pants, letting lips and teeth trace over the shape of the cock beneath them.

 

A gasp left Sean’s mouth, followed quickly by a moan. His hands clenched beside Nick, pressing against the leather of the couch.

 

Grinning, entirely pleased by this reaction, Nick opened his mouth as wide as he could, closing it over the bulge beneath the fabric and sucking hard.

 

Sean’s hips jerked up towards him, and then Sean’s hands were on his arms, dragging Nick up his body to where he caught the grimm’s mouth in a possessive kiss. Tongues battled together, twining and stroking, tasting and exploring.

 

Panting, Nick pressed himself hard against Sean, his own hips jerking helplessly as he felt more of that wetness dribble out of his ass.

 

“I need you,” he gasped, as soon as Sean released his mouth for a breath. “Need you. Need...” His hands clenched and released against Sean’s shoulders, trying to convey his desperation.

 

His skin was on fire, he was _so empty_ , and everything he needed was laid out before him.

 

“I know,” Sean replied, voice roughened by desire and something else that Nick would later call pride. Strong hands pressed over Nick’s shoulders and down his arms, before stroking up once more and then down his back.

 

Long-fingered hands settled against his waist, ends of the fingers brushing against the edge of his boxer-briefs.

 

Moaning – in a way that would have embarrassed him had he not been so utterly turned on – Nick tried to press towards all of Sean at once. Towards the hard muscles beneath him, the hands on him, and the mouth caressing his.

 

“Please, Sean,” he gasped out, feeling almost strung out, drawn tight, anticipation ratcheting so high within him he wasn’t sure how he hadn’t burst yet. “Please, I need you.”

 

“What do you need?” Sean asked, letting his lips trail over Nick’s jaw and down his neck. Reaching the join between the grimm’s neck and shoulder he paused, mouth lingering there for a moment, before he forced himself to move on.

 

“You,” Nick gasped out, arching up towards that mouth and down towards those hands. “Need you.”

 

“What do you need, Nick?” Sean repeated. “What do you need me to do?”

 

Mouth open, panting through the utter desire enveloping him, Nick tried to force himself to focus. To say whatever it was Sean wanted him to say so that Sean would give him what he so desperately needed.

 

Somehow he’d gone from aroused to horny to -

 

“Fuck me,” he said, “please. I need you… to fuck me...”

 

“Mmmm,” Sean agreed, tongue flicking against Nick’s nipple. “You need me to fuck you?” he asked.

 

“Yes!” Nick gasped out, pressing towards Sean’s mouth as his other nipple was given the same treatment. “Please!”

 

Pheromones swirled in the air around them, clogging their senses and filling them with a sense of urgency that underlaid their desire.

 

Sean wanted to drag things out. He had his grimm, almost naked and writhing on top of him, begging for him. But he knew that he couldn’t. Not when Nick was so far into his heat – so desperate for him.

 

“I will,” he told the grimm. “I will fuck you. I will fill that emptiness in you. Do you feel the emptiness Nick?”

 

“Yessss,” Nick hissed out, ass clenching.

 

“Do you want me to fill that emptiness, Nick?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Where is it, Nick? Where do I need to fill you?”

 

Moaning, Nick felt his hands scrabbling against Sean, as though not quite sure just where to go. He wanted to touch all of him and be touched by all of him. To press up close and grind against him. To fill his mouth with Sean and have Sean fill him.

 

“Nick?”

 

“My ass,” he managed to gasp out, breath coming in harsh gasps, sweat pouring off him. “I need you in my ass.”

 

“Hmmm,” Sean agreed, hand shifting from Nick’s waist to his ass, pushing beneath his briefs. One long finger slipped into his crack, tapping against his rim – sending shockwaves of pleasure through him. “Here?” Sean asked.

 

All he got in response was a strangled moan as Nick hung, taut, between the desire to rub his cock down against Sean and to press back into that finger.

 

“Nick?” Sean asked, finger tapping once more.

 

“Yes!” he gasped out. “Yes! Please!”

 

The tip of that finger slipped inside. Throwing his head back with a cry, Nick arched into it. If he had felt empty before, it was nothing compared to the wash of urgency that rushed over him then. He was _empty_ and he was _so close_ to being filled.

 

“Please, please, please, please,” he chanted, writhing in place. He was distantly aware that whatever-it-was that was wetting his crack, sliding out of his ass, was also preparing the way for Sean to enter him – and he could put up with a bit of strange wetness for that.

 

With one swift move, Sean rolled them over, tossing Nick beneath him as he let his weight bear the grimm down into the couch beneath him.

 

Mouth wide, eyes dark, face flushed, Nick stared up at him.

 

But Nick wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of the heat. Desire rushed through Sean, swirling in his veins and prickling beneath his skin. His cock was hard and full, more than ready to be used, aching from the need for release.

 

And he could feel that band around the base of his cock pulsing, ready to inflate. To tie them together.

 

Leaning down, he bit at Nick’s lower lip, drawing a strangled cry from the grimm, before soothing it with lips and tongue.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked. He wasn’t entirely sure how he was holding back at all. Everything within him wanted him to let go – to pound into the grimm and make him his.

 

“Yes!” Nick replied, hands scraping down Sean’s back, leaving red lines in their wake. “Please, Sean! I need you!”

 

So Sean ripped off Nick’s underwear, tossing it aside without a thought. The grimm’s cock, released from it’s confines, stood to attention, flushed and proud and weeping from the tip.

 

Reaching out, Sean smoothed his hand over it, giving a gentle twist as he reached the tip.

 

With a wordless cry, Nick arched up towards him, lifting both men partway off the couch.

 

Laying nips and kisses against the grimm’s chest, Sean moved down him, savouring the taste of the other man against his tongue.

 

“Please, please, please, please,” Nick repeated, head tossing from side to side as he tried to decide what to focus on. The pleasure radiating out from Sean’s lips on him, or the aching emptiness that was demanding to be filled.

 

Reaching Nick’s cock, Sean swallowed it down in one go. Crying out, Nick arched, straining hard against gravity and his own limitations. At the same moment of rush of slick gushed out of his ass, Sean’s finger sliding further in with ease. Pressing down against that finger, Nick impaled himself on it as best he could – but it wasn’t enough. Wasn’t large enough.

 

“More,” he gasped out, fingers pressing against Sean’s shoulders before wandering down, across smooth skin, seeking what he really wanted.

 

Feeling his grimm’s desperation, Sean slowly drew his mouth up Nick’s cock, releasing it with a soft _pop_. He swirled his tongue around his mouth, savouring the taste of the younger man.

 

Nick’s fingers found Sean’s waist, trailing across his pelvis to wind around his cock. _Oh_ , Nick thought, fingers stretching around the hot and pulsing flesh, _that’s BIG_. The thought sent another wash of arousal through him, and another wash of wet slick sliding out of his ass. He gave Sean’s cock a tug.

 

Slipping his finger from his grimm, the hot wash of slick that coated his hand assuring him the omega _was_ definitely ready to take him, Sean raised himself up, staring down at Nick as he lined his aching dick up with his grimm’s clenching asshole.

 

Nick whined, hands tugging as though trying to shove Sean inside him. He was _so close!_

 

With a swift thrust, Sean seated himself deep within his grimm.

 

Nick cried out, arching up towards the fullness that invaded his body. That ache, that constant, all-consuming ache to be filled – was sated.

 

Legs wrapping around Sean’s waist, Nick opened himself as much as he could to the other man, while dragging them closer together.

 

A kind of possessive pride washed over Sean as he watched his grimm’s face, saw the desire and pleasure so clearly displayed before him. The grimm was _his_. And _he_ had caused that pleasure to suffuse Nick’s face.

 

Legs tightening around Sean, Nick thrust up to meet him, feeling a kind of wild abandon wash over him. He was fairly sure that, somehow, he was grimming, and grimming hard.

 

But his Captain met each of his thrusts with equal force, driving himself deeper and deeper into the willing grimm. A part of Nick thrilled at it – at the knowledge that his chosen was strong enough to cope with him, all of him, and give it right back to him.

 

This was what he needed.

 

Almost.

 

He also needed _all_ of his chosen. Even those parts the older man tried hard to hide, afraid they would repulse others.

 

Ass-muscles clenching around Sean, legs tightening around him, hands pressing at any skin he could reach, Nick surged upwards, pressing his mouth to Sean’s.

 

For a moment their lips and tongues battled together, fighting for dominance, before Nick opened his mouth with a sigh, letting the other man in – surrendering to him.

 

Then, detaching his mouth from Sean’s, Nick trailed his lips along that strong jaw, up towards Sean’s ear. He nipped at the lobe, tugging the flesh between his teeth.

 

“Sean,” he moaned.

 

Having his grimm moaning his name into his ear was even more incredible than Sean had imagined. His body strained, _power_ and _need_ and _want_ and _desire_ all rushing through him.

 

“Sean,” Nick repeated, “show me. Please.”

 

Sean stilled. He hadn’t thought he could still – his hormones, his instincts, everything in him was screaming at him to keep going, to fuck the grimm so hard and so deep he would never get the feeling of Sean out of him.

 

But what Nick was asking him…

 

“Please,” Nick breathed, ass clenching down around Sean.

 

With a shudder, Sean woged.

 

Crying out in delight, Nick bore down upon the other man, slick gushing between them in proof of his approval. Lips nipped and kissed down Sean’s jawline, seeking his mouth.

 

Woged. Completely laid bare before the grimm. Accepted for who he was – a half-zauberbiest Alpha – Sean pounded into the willing body beneath his, Alpha wesen strength causing the couch to shift against the floor as their bodies met.

 

And the grimm met him thrust for thrust, ass clenching as though trying to milk him.

 

Which, Sean thought dimly, was likely a fair comparison. He knew the grimm’s heat-induced urgency wouldn’t subside until he had been filled with an Alpha’s seed – and then only for a short time.

 

Pressing into Nick, Sean felt his knot begin to expand, catching teasingly on Nick’s rim with each thrust.

 

Gasping, not entirely sure just _what_ he was feeling, but absolutely sure he liked it – _a lot_ – Nick felt himself spiralling closer and closer. He was so _close_ , he knew he just needed one more thing. One thing to tip him off the razor’s edge he felt like he’d been balancing on for far too long. He was wet and stretched and filled and more aroused and on edge than ever before. But no amount of thrusting against Sean, no matter the delicious feel of Sean’s enormous cock making itself at home inside him, was allowing Nick to come. Not _yet_.

 

Thrusting in hard, Sean pressed his inflating knot past Nick’s rim, forcing it inside the grimm. Nick cried out, barely able to believe he could feel so much pleasure without having actually come yet.

 

There was a large pressure increasing inside his ass – almost as though the base of Sean’s cock was _growing_. So large, so hot, and rubbing up against Nick’s channel in all the right places. Locking them together.

 

Nick shifted, feeling the way that pressure caught against his rim, too large to be removed from his ass – not that he wanted it gone. On the contrary, he thought he would happily have it remain in him for the rest of his life.

 

Instinctively, he clenched.

 

At the same time, feeling that pressure against his knot – Sean released inside his grimm, crying out as he felt his seed splash deep into the Omega.

 

Feeling the hot rush of his chosen’s release, Nick gleefully clenched his ass around the other man once more, milking him. He wanted it. He wanted it all. Every drop.

 

Hips shifting restlessly, ass clenching, Nick focused on the feel of Sean’s seed filling him. He was no longer empty.

 

It was only later, as Sean’s cock pulsed a few last drops into the grimm’s ass, that Nick realised that he had come – he’d been too focused on the feeling of Sean coming within him to even notice his own release.

 

Skin buzzing, but with contentment rather than urgency, muscles turning lax as that strange energy left him, Nick pulled his chosen down on top of him, wanting to feel that strong body covering his. His head turned, nuzzled into the join between Sean’s neck and shoulder, and he breathed in deeply.

 

They were still joined together, but rather than being uncomfortable, it filled Nick with a sense of sleepy contentment. He was _full_. He was _safe_. He was _wanted._

 

Breathing out, he drifted into sleep.


	5. Realising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Sean enjoy some more of Nick's heat... and Sean begins to realise Nick may not know as much as everyone thinks he does...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> many thanks to TeamRenhardt - for encouragement, brainstorming, and cheerleading as I worked to get this out.

Nick woke on his back, a heavy weight covering him and with Sean’s cock still in him. Clenching his ass instinctively, he hummed happily at the fullness he felt. Giving his hips a little roll, Nick pressed down towards that pressure, enjoying the way the Captain’s hardness seemed to fill every aching part of his ass.

 

Pressing his face against Sean’s chest, Nick nuzzled into it, brushing kisses against the smooth skin.

 

He rolled his hips once more, feeling the stretch and pull of his rim around the length filling him. There was something there, he realised. Something larger, fuller, than anything Nick had ever felt before. Locking Sean inside him.

 

For a moment, he wondered at it – and at his reaction to it. Logically, he felt, he should be freaking out. There was something not normal – at least, not in the way that Nick knew normal, about Sean’s cock.

 

But some deeper part of him simply hummed in contentment, assuring him that all was as it should be.

 

Admittedly, he thought, hips tilting, whatever it was, was absolutely enjoyable. Far more enjoyable than any sex he’d ever had before.

 

Each shift of his hips pressed that hardness against the spot inside him that sent sparks shooting up his spine, and down his cock. Waves of pleasure that rolled through him with each movement.

 

Nick clenched.

 

Sean’s cock twitched inside him.

 

So Nick clenched again.

 

There was a rumble of satisfaction above him. Sean’s chest shifted. Then warm lips were against his own – devouring him. Nick opened eagerly, sucking Sean’s tongue into his mouth, battling against it for a moment before surrendering and allowing Sean’s tongue to map out his mouth.

 

Strong hands stroked along Nick’s arms, sliding up to his shoulders and squeezing firmly, before tracing down his back to curve over his ass, fingers slipping between his crack to trace around his stretched rim.

 

Gasping, Nick tried to thrust upwards, to draw Sean further inside him.

 

The urgency of before had gone, but he was still so sensitive. And it felt so good.

 

“Sean,” he moaned out, the word swallowed between their kisses, his own hands scrabbling over the smooth skin of the other man’s back, fingers pressing into the muscles he found there.

 

Tearing his lips away from Nick’s, Sean pressed a line of kisses along the Omega’s jaw, nibbling on his earlobe before nuzzling his way down Nick’s neck.

 

Crying out, Nick tilted his head back, trying to give Sean as much access as he wanted.

 

Panting, Nick jerked his hips towards Sean as best he could. With the other man’s cock locked inside him, he couldn’t thrust the way he was used to – but still each movement, each roll of his hips, brushed against his insides, lighting him up.

 

He hadn’t thought there could be a better feeling than being fucked – but he was more than happy to be proven wrong. He could feel his own cock stirring, blood filling it as his arousal began to climb once more.

 

“Tell me this feels good for you, too?” Nick muttered, head lolling to the side as Sean sucked a hickey into the join of his neck and shoulder.

 

“Of course,” Sean replied, voice a deep rumble, with an edge of a growl to it.

 

Gasping at the brush of those words against his skin, Nick, pressed up towards the other man. “So good,” he managed to get out, soft pants falling from his lips.

 

“Yes,” Sean agreed.

 

He moved lower, sucking one of Nick’s nipples into his mouth. Arching up into the contact, Nick cried out. His hips twisted, rolling and shifting, ass clenching against the pressure within him.

 

Sean’s finger trailed along the quivering stretch of Nick’s rim, feeling where cock met ass and vanished inside.

 

Nick clenched once more.

 

The pressure inside him grew.

 

Half-in-disbelief, half-in-arousal-and-delight, Nick glanced down towards where they were joined. “Are you growing _again?_ ” he asked.

 

Sean chuckled at the note of incredulity in the Omega’s tone.

 

“Apparently,” he replied, “your ass just begs to be knotted – and knotted well.”

 

Nick moaned at the words. If knotting was what whatever was going on down there was called – then he was all for it!

 

“Fuck!” he hissed out, rhythmically clenching his ass around the growing knot. “You’re so big!”

 

“And you’re so wet,” Sean replied.

 

As he spoke, Nick realised that the other man was right. That strange wetness of the night before had returned, sliding down around Sean’s cock and squelching between them where they joined. He groaned.

 

“Your fault,” Nick managed to gasp out – something he was almost entirely sure of. He’d certainly never had his body react like that before.

 

“Good,” Sean growled in approval. Approval which sent a bolt of pleasure shooting down Nick’s spine and along his cock.

 

He wanted the other man to be pleased with him.

 

“Want, want to make you feel good,” he gasped out.

 

“You are,” Sean replied. His lips moved to Nick’s other nipple, drawing it into his mouth as he let his teeth catch against it.

 

Caught between sensations, Nick arched up into that tug on his nipple, at the same time as he pressed down against the knot filling him, hips rolling and ass clenching.

 

The pressure increased.

 

He was so full, Nick thought. So full, stuffed full of Sean’s cock and oh, he realised, with that knot locking them together, all of Sean’s seed from earlier would still be inside him. As soon as the thought occurred to him, he felt as though he could feel it sloshing inside him.

 

He moaned.

 

Releasing Nick’s nipple, Sean moved back up to the Omega’s mouth, pressing it open and pushing his tongue inside. At the same time, he started to shift his hips, rolling them in counterpoint to the grimm’s own movements.

 

Nick cried out into their kiss.

 

It was _so_ good!

 

The pressure inside him increased, rubbing continuously against his prostate.

 

It was too much.

 

But not enough.

 

Nick’s skin buzzed, blood pounding through his veins. He was hard and aching – not in the way he had been earlier, not quite so urgent or desperate. But still it was there, and it was growing in intensity.

 

There was something more that he needed, he realised.

 

Something more than being split open by his Captain’s cock. Something more than having a knot pressing against his insides, tying them together. Something more than the kisses they shared.

 

He clenched.

 

Sean came.

 

A hot wash of cum shot inside Nick, coating his insides.

 

Crying out, Nick felt his own release wash over him. His vision went white around the edges and his fingers tightened against Sean’s shoulders, simply holding on.

 

He wasn’t sure how there was any room inside him for the Captain’s cum – especially not with how many pulses he could feel spurting into him.

 

But at the same time he revelled in the feel of it. In the knowledge that Sean was cumming for him – filling him up. And that Sean’s seed would be trapped inside him.

 

Sighing in contentment as the pulses slowed, Nick pressed light kisses against Sean’s chest, nuzzling into him.

 

“Thank you,” he murmured, eyes fluttering as he drifted in the afterglow of an amazing orgasm.

 

“Thank you,” Sean replied, one hand tangling in Nick’s hair.

 

Nick drifted.

 

 

*

 

 

Nestled between Nick’s legs, cock locked tight inside the omega’s ass, Sean allowed a soft smile to cross his face. Nick had chosen him. Him. The half-everything (as some members of his family were keen to remind him). And the most powerful grimm of recent times had chosen him as his Alpha.

 

Sean’s ‘biest purred with pride inside him, happily expressing his pleasure at these events.

 

The tightness of Nick’s ass caused a constant stream of pleasure to wash over Sean, radiating out from his knot.

 

His jaw ached, an insistent thought in the back of his mind suggesting he press his mouth down on the curve of the omega’s shoulder, where it met his neck, and mark him.

 

Create a Bondmark. Tying them together beyond the end of Nick’s heat.

 

But Sean held himself back.

 

He had been honoured by Nick’s choice to allow him to share the omega’s heat. He wasn’t about to ruin that trust by initiating a Bonding.

 

No matter how loudly his instincts screamed at him to bite down, or how hard it was to resist.

 

Instead, he kept his mouth tightly shut, pressing his nose up behind Nick’s ear and drawing his scent in deeply.

 

The scent of an omega in heat. A satisfied and full omega in heat – overlaid with Sean’s own scent. Claiming the omega as his.

 

He doubted that scent would ever fully leave his mind, no matter how much time passed. It felt burnt into his brain.

 

_This is mine_ , it said.

 

 

*

 

Shifting, Nick delighted in the way his ass instinctively clenched around Sean’s cock in his ass. He felt heavy, boneless, relaxed in a way he didn’t know he could feel. As though all of the tension and edgy energy of early had drained out of him.

 

He was aroused – pleasantly so – but not in any way that he felt a need to do anything about. Instead, it was more a feeling of constant, ongoing pleasure, that he could simply lie back and enjoy.

 

One of Sean’s hands moved, stroking over Nick’s arm. He hummed happily at the feeling.

 

“You’re awake,” Sean murmured.

 

Nick wasn’t entirely sure that he’d slept so much as drifted away on waves of pleasure, but felt no need to argue the point, simply humming once more in agreement.

 

“How do you feel?” Sean asked.

 

“Full,” Nick muttered, shifting just to feel his ass clench once more. “Relaxed.”

 

“Good,” Sean replied. “We seem to have hit a lull in your heat. Did you want anything to drink?”

 

For a moment, Nick wondered why the Captain hadn’t offered him any food – then his stomach clenched in warning, and he realised he had no desire to eat. At all.

 

Drink…. No, he thought. He didn’t need any of that either.

 

“Heat?” he asked, mind still fogged by pleasure and pheromones and the utter contentment he was feeling.

 

Immediately, Sean tensed above him.

  
Frowning, Nick slitted open his eyes, glancing up at the other man.

 

“What?” he asked.

 

“Nick,” Sean said, very slowly and clearly, “you do know you’re in heat, right?”

 

Nick blinked up at him. “Uh… if that’s what you call this, then sure,” he said. “I mean, I’ve certainly felt very hot.”

 

There was something in Sean’s eyes that worried Nick, so he reached up, winding his arms around the other man’s neck, as though trying to hold Sean to him.

 

“Nick,” Sean said. “What is heat?”

 

Nick shrugged. “Whatever’s been going on with me,” he replied. “Side-effects of getting my powers back.” He frowned. “It wasn’t like this last time,” he complained.

 

“You asked me to stay,” Sean breathed out.

 

“Yes,” Nick agreed, wondering what the other man was worried about. “I did,” he said. “And you agreed.” He paused. “Do you want to leave?” he asked.

 

“Do you want me to leave?”

 

“What? No!” Nick replied, arms tightening around Sean’s neck, before he forced himself to release his grip a little. “But only if you want to stay.”

 

“Nick,” Sean said, voice controlled and breathing even – as though he was holding it that way. “What was your last heat like?”

 

Nick rolled his eyes. “I keep telling everyone this isn’t like anything I’ve ever had before,” he said.

 

Sean tensed further.

 

Nick tightened his grasp.

 

“What is heat?” Sean repeated.

 

“I told you!” Nick replied. “Whatever this is!”

 

“But _what_ is it?” Sean demanded. “What is it that you’re currently going through?”

 

“Far as I can tell,” Nick snarked back, “it’s a whole bunch of being horny and getting hot!”

 

“You don’t know,” Sean murmured, head dipping down to rest against Nick’s forehead – though it seemed the action was less one of comfort or love, and more as though the other man’s head was suddenly too heavy for him to hold up on his own. “You don’t know,” he repeated.

 

“Well, why don’t you explain it to me, then?” Nick asked.

 

He wasn’t sure what the big deal was, but whatever it was – it was certainly putting a damper on the amazing afterglow he’d had going, and seemed to be worrying the other man, so he figured it was best to talk it out.

 

A gust of breath left Sean, almost as though it had been punched out of him.

 

“Sean?” Nick asked.

 

“What have I done?” Sean murmured. He shifted, drawing backwards.

 

Scowling, Nick tightened his arms, refusing to let go. His ass clamped down, also refusing to release that large knot in him – not that it could.

 

Hissing, Sean stilled.

 

“Are you going to talk to me?” Nick asked. He felt wary, off-balance.

 

“I didn’t...” began Sean. “How could you not know?!”

 

“Maybe if you explained what you’re talking about,” Nick snapped back.

 

With a sigh, Sean let his head rest against Nick’s, foreheads touching. But his eyes were closed.

 

“All wesen,” he began, “as well as grimms, display a secondary gender, or dynamic.” His voice was calm, even – too calm, Nick thought. “That of Alpha, Beta or Omega.” Sean paused. “I am an Alpha,” he said, “as characterised by my ability to knot. An Alpha is generally more aggressive and dominant. They have a band running around the base of their cock which, during intercourse with an omega, can inflate, creating a knot that ties the two together.”

 

Well, Nick thought, that explained what he was feeling going on his ass.

 

“A knot cannot be achieved without the presence of omega pheromones.

 

“A Beta,” Sean continued, “is much like an ordinary human. They can often, when wesen, tell the dynamic of others through scent, but do not experience either knotting or heats.

 

“An Omega is the final dynamic. Omegas are generally more submissive and interested in creating and maintaining families – though this is an oversimplification as are all generalisations. Once reaching full maturity, an omega will experience heats – regular times where their body prepares them for copulation.

 

“The period between, duration of, and strength of heats can vary,” Sean continued, “but they are characterised by a period beforehand that I am told closely resembles a female human’s pre-menstrual cramps, followed by heightened body temperature, increase in arousal to the point of pain, and the production of large amounts of pheromones.

 

“These pheromones are specifically targeted towards attracting an Alpha.

 

“During heat, and, I am told, at other times when greatly aroused, an Omega, if male, will self-lubricate.”

 

And that explained that strange wetness in his ass, Nick thought. His mind spun, trying to keep up with everything Sean was telling him. It was such a strange yet fascinating concept. And one that was making more and more sense.

 

“This lubrication, along with an Omega’s natural rectal flexibility, allows an Omega to comfortably take and hold an Alpha’s knot. In fact, alpha and omega physiology seems specifically designed to work together – an alpha’s knot, when inflated, pressing directly against an omega’s prostate, and an omega’s natural lubrication and rectal flexibility providing enough give to hold an alpha’s knot without harm, while also enough pressure to provide constant stimulation and pleasure.”

 

“Definitely,” Nick agreed, automatically shifting his hips and clenching his ass at Sean’s words.

 

The other man let out a sharp hiss.

 

There was a pause, before Sean continued to speak. “There are a lot of instincts and traditions which surround the dynamics. One of which is the Choice of a partner for an omega’s heat.”

 

Nick forced himself not to tense, though he felt somewhat nervous at where Sean was going with this.

 

“I apologise,” the older man said. “I was unaware that you were not aware of your status. Or I would never have imposed myself on you like this.”

 

Nick rolled his eyes. “Seriously?” he asked. He gave Sean’s shoulder a sharp poke. “’Cos I seem to remember you asking – like 100 times! - if I was sure. If I wanted you here. And I said yes. Yes! Okay, so maybe I didn’t know I was horny ‘cos I’m something called an omega. And maybe I didn’t know you had a super cock that would give me orgasms unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” he let a note of teasing enter his voice, before turning serious once more. “But I did know I wanted you here. I knew I wanted you. And I said yes. So please don’t belittle my decision by refusing to acknowledge it. I chose you.”

 

Pausing, Nick glanced up at Sean, seeing the other man’s eyes studying him carefully. Their eyes met, and held.

 

“My very presence would have increased your heat,” Sean said. “Omega pheromones affect Alphas – and they give off their own pheromones in response – increasing the omega’s heat and showing their interest.”

 

Nick snorted. “That just sounds like a fancy way of saying that because you’re hot I get turned on more. That’s natural. Besides,” he added, “just because I was horny doesn’t mean I couldn’t think. Or that I didn’t choose you. Or say yes. I did choose you. I may not have known about pheromones or that my ass would get all slick, or that your cock would fill me up in ways I didn’t know I needed before.

 

“But I _knew_ I wanted you here. With me. I _asked_ you to stay. I’m the one who sought you out.” He paused, frowning. “In fact,” he said, “if omega pheromones cause an alpha to react – then shouldn’t I be apologising to you? I showed up in your office! I didn’t make you say yes, did I?”

 

“Of course not,” Sean replied.

 

“Good,” Nick replied. “Because this has been amazing.” Reaching up, he trailed his hand along Sean’s face. “I don’t want you to regret this,” he said.

 

“Nor do I wish you to regret it,” Sean replied.

 

“I don’t,” Nick said. He laughed. “So far, all you’ve told me is that there’s a reason this has been the best sex of my life, and,” he said, tone turning thoughtful, “that, what, we get to repeat it later? You said omegas experience heats regularly, right?”

 

“They do,” Sean agreed. “Most experience two to three heats per year. Also,” he added, “your current heat is only banked right now. It will intensify again sometime within the next half hour to couple of hours.”

 

Nick grinned. “So, there’s even more awesome sex coming our way?” he asked.

 

“There is,” Sean agreed, allowing a soft smile to curve over his mouth as he began to believe that Nick’s ignorance as to his omega status was not a hindrance to their relationship – nor that he had taken advantage of the other man.

 

“So,” said Nick, mind moving back over the past couple of days. “When you suggested I see Rosie if it stayed bad… you knew I was going into heat?”

 

“While I had never seen any evidence of you going into heat before,” Sean replied, “you were showing all the classic signs. And, though your scent was often almost completely muted, I had identified you as an omega so knew you must experience heats.”

 

“And when Rosalee said I wasn’t ‘normally like this’ and expected me to know about that potion she gave me -”

 

“ _Hitze Reduzieren,_ ”

 

“- and didn’t think it weird when I freaked out on Monroe – that was all heat stuff?”

 

“As you are a grimm, and known by those close to you to be an omega,” Sean explained, “yes, we all assumed you had been going through heats for years.”

 

“Huh,” Nick muttered.

 

“The _Hitze Reduzieren_ is a zaubertrank specifically designed to reduce the more painful effects of heat, and is commonly used by almost all omegas to help them deal with their heats,” Sean continued.

 

“And when they said I was Presenting? They weren’t talking about me getting my powers back, were they?”

 

“No. Presenting is the name given for when a male omega’s body re-arranges itself before their first heat – changing the internal organs in order to allow for heat. It has long been suspected by wesen that grimms only gain their dynamic once they show up as grimms.”

 

“So as I lost my powers, I would also have lost my dynamic,” Nick guessed.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Oh man,” Nick exclaimed, “that’s why Rosie was so jealous of me! She thought I’d been going through minor heats and hadn’t needed anything to help with them before as they weren’t that strong… but I’ve never been through heat before,” he said. “Why would it just start now?”

 

“I can only guess,” Sean replied. “But if you like, once your heat is over, we can look into it.”

 

Nick nodded. “And when those perps called me a ‘little omega’?” he asked.

 

Sean growled. Nick shivered at the sound, feeling a fresh wave of arousal washing over him. Interesting.

 

“They would have been alphas,” Sean replied, “who smelt your approaching heat and sought to claim you for themselves.”

 

Nick scowled. “I should have hit them harder,” he decided.

 

Sean chuckled.

 

“And that sniffing thing you did in your office?”

 

“Scenting,” Sean replied. “It’s instinctual.”

 

Nick hummed in agreement. “Yeah,” he said, “so many times I’ve felt like I haven’t known exactly why, but I’ve just _known_ what to do.” He grimaced. “I was kinda acting really weird when we got here,” he said.

 

“You were nesting,” Sean replied. “Instinctual omega behaviour as part of choosing a place for their heat.”

 

“Well,” said Nick, “at least you don’t think I’m too strange.”

 

“Not at all,” Sean replied, “at least, not in this area.”

 

Laughing, delighted that the other man had lightened enough to tease him, Nick pressed his face against Sean’s chest.

 

There was a warm buzz growing beneath his skin once more, though it was not yet that strong.

 

“So,” Nick asked rolling his hips lightly, “how long does a knot last for?”

 

“It varies,” Sean replied, hesitating before forcing himself to continue. “I have never knotted before,” he admitted. “Our coupling has certainly entered the longest end of the scale I was given.”

 

“Good,” Nick replied. He clenched deliberately. “I like having your knot in me.” He blushed as he spoke, but the way Sean’s eyes lit up at his words helped to alleviate most of his embarrassment.

 

“It will likely not last much longer,” Sean said.

 

“Shame.”

 

“We will, however, be able to repeat the experience more than once during the rest of your heat.”

 

Grinning in delight at that, Nick shifted once more.

 

“Hang on!” he said. “If omegas go into heat and self-lubricate – are we talking reproduction? Pregnancy?”

 

Sean froze. His eyes widened as he stared down at Nick. “Yes,” he said.

 

Nick gaped up at him. “Seriously?!” he demanded. “We haven’t exactly used protection, you know!”

 

“No condom would survive the knotting process,” Sean replied. “Contraceptives are generally taken by omegas -”

 

“Which I didn’t know to take!”

 

“- however, as this is your first heat, ever, it is highly unlikely it will result in a pregnancy.” He paused. “Should you wish me to leave once our coupling ends, to further decrease the chance of pregnancy, I shall do so.”

 

“You’re not going anywhere!” Nick replied. “That is, if you’re willing to stay and risk it?”

 

A kind of tension bled out of Sean’s body, and Nick was sure he’d made the right decision. Not that there was any other decision he wanted to make.

 

“I would be honoured to see out your heat with you,” Sean said.

 

“Good,” Nick replied. “So, is there something I should take at the end of my heat to stop pregnancy?”

 

“The only heat contraceptives I know of must be taken beforehand,” Sean replied. “While not foolproof – I have never heard of someone becoming pregnant during their first heat. Though heats seem to be aimed at encouraging reproduction and are the most fertile time for an omega, the first heat, so soon after the body rearranges to accommodate both heat and pregnancy, are unlikely to result in conception.”

 

“Did you know you get all serious and use big words when you’re nervous?” Nick asked.

 

Sean fixed him with a glare.

 

Grinning, Nick rolled his hips. It was still just as amazing as the first time he’d done so.

 

However, as he did so, he felt that pressure inside him begin to ease. Nick pouted. Slowly, the pressure continued to decrease, until, finally, Sean’s flaccid cock slipped free of his ass. As it did so, a wet gush of slick and semen followed it out of Nick’s hole.

 

His ass twitched, feeling stretched and now empty.

 

He grimaced.

 

“Guess heat isn’t the tidiest thing ever,” he said.

 

“No,” Sean agreed. Pushing himself up so that he was hovering over the grimm, Sean stared down at him. “Come on,” he said. “We may not have much longer before the next wave of your heat hits.” Shifting into a sitting position, Sean gently pulled Nick upright as well, smiling softly as Nick grimaced and he smelt the fresh gush of liquid escaping the omega’s ass.

 

Pulling Nick towards himself, Sean got to his feet, grimm cradled in his arms.

 

Nick blinked. “I can walk, you know,” he said.

 

“I know,” Sean agreed, already walking towards the bathroom. “That doesn’t mean that you have to.”

 

Nick pouted, but snuggled into that firm chest. Whatever he may say – he certainly enjoyed the feel of the other man against his bare skin.

 

Entering the bathroom, Sean moved into the large shower that took up one wall. There was a shower seat running along one side, and he gently placed Nick down against it.

 

The tiles were cool against Nick’s skin, skin that was beginning to heat once more.

 

Reaching over, Sean turned the shower on, keeping the water lukewarm. Already he could feel the heat beginning to rise from Nick’s skin. He doubted it would be long before the next wave of his heat hit.

 

Grabbing some shower gel, he lathered it up between his hands, before angling Nick into the gentle spray of the water and beginning to slide his hands over him.

 

Nick hummed at the caress, leaning into it. Awesome, mind-blowing sex, he thought, and then gentle caresses – there was nothing about heat he’d yet come to dislike.

 

Well, other than those horrible cramps. The actual heat itself. And the way his insides had rearranged themselves.

 

But hopefully that rearranging thing was finished and wouldn’t have to happen again.

 

And he could put up with some cramps and a high temperature if it got him things like this.

 

Strong hands slid over Nick’s chest and back, washing away his sweat, and the dried cum of his earlier orgasms.

 

Sighing happily, Nick leant towards Sean, letting the other man move him around however he wanted to do so.

 

Sliding his hands into Nick’s hair, Sean massaged against his scalp, washing the strands between his fingers.

 

Upper half washed, Sean sank down to his knees before Nick, getting to work on his legs and feet.

 

Nick’s groin and ass came last.

 

Wiping away the evidence of their activities, Sean revelled in the privilege he’d been given to do so. To touch the other man there. Nick’s cock was half-hard in his hands – though Sean knew it wouldn’t go properly flaccid until Nick’s heat was over.

 

Washing over the grimm’s ass, Sean traced his fingers around the stretched ring of his pucker. It twitched beneath his fingertips, spasming lightly.

 

Stroking over it, Sean set up a soft rhythm, gently easing the twitches and helping the muscle to relax.

 

Sighing, Nick shifted his hips, trying to press his ass closer to the other man. He could feel his hole tightening once more and shivered at the thought of Sean having to coax it open again in order to fuck him.

 

Considering the way his body heat was rising – it wouldn’t be too long before they’d be fucking again.

 

And he couldn’t wait!

 

“Thank you,” Nick said.

 

Glancing up from his ministrations, Sean fixed him with a querying look.

 

Blushing, Nick shrugged. “You’ve taken really good care of me,” he said. “I’m glad my instincts suggested you for my heat.”

 

Sean smiled back at him.

 

Nick shifted. “I’m getting kinda hot again,” he admitted.

 

Nodding, Sean pushed himself back up to his feet, stepping beneath the shower spray in order to wash himself.

 

Nick made a soft sound, shifting towards the edge of the shower seat. “Let me -” he began.

 

“You stay there,” Sean replied. “Heat takes a toll on your body. Save your energy.” He shot Nick a heated grin. “You’ll need it,” he promised.

 

Moaning at the thought, Nick allowed himself to slump back against the seat, instead letting his eyes trace over Sean as the other man washed himself. Following the confident stroke of hands all over that smooth skin.

 

“I think I could get used to this,” he admitted.

 

Sean glanced over at him.

 

Nick blushed.

 

“You said omegas get to choose who they spend their heat with,” he asked.

 

“They do,” Sean agreed cautiously.

 

“What if I wanted to spend more than one heat with you?”

 

Sean froze. His mind spun with all the possibilities. Disbelief warring with delight.

 

“You’re in the middle of heat,” he said, “now is hardly the time to be talking about this.”

 

Nick pouted.

 

“Would you?” he asked.

 

“If you asked – later – free from the influence of heat – then I would consider it,” Sean admitted. Though he had a feeling some of his own eagerness for such an arrangement had slipped into his tone.

 

The smug look on Nick’s face suggested his feeling was correct.

 

“You’d like to spend more heats with me,” Nick said.

 

“If that’s what you want,” Sean replied.

 

Nick shifted on the seat. The energy of before was zapping beneath his skin once more, heat rising from him. His ass clenched, the ache to be filled returning.

 

As though he could somehow sense what Nick was feeling, Sean’s gaze was drawn back to him.

 

“Do you want me to stay?” he asked.

 

Nick scoffed. “Of course!” he replied. “If you want to,” he added. “Then yes, please.”

 

“Very well,” Sean agreed. He stepped towards the grimm.


	6. Chasing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick's heat is rising once more, encompassing him in an ache to be filled. But first - he wants his alpha to prove himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter will (likely) be the last one of mostly-smut - as we move back towards plot and courting, comforting and loving, and Nick and Sean working towards their Happily Ever After.

Reaching out, Sean placed his large hands on Nick’s shoulders, sliding them over the wet skin. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

 

The sound that left Nick’s throat was more moan than anything else, causing him to blush brilliantly.

 

Sean chuckled at him. “I take it your heat is rising once more?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah,” Nick gasped out. The heat that had been steadily rising within him, creating a rush of energy and an ache to filled, had jumped higher as soon as the other man’s hands touched him. Panting, Nick leant towards the alpha.

 

His face pressed against Sean’s hip, lips brushing over wet skin, tongue darting out to taste.

 

There was the sound of a sharply indrawn breath above him, and Nick grinned in delight. He wanted to make the other man make that sound again.

 

Reaching out, he placed his hands on Sean’s hips, tugging him closer, as his lips trailed along a sharp hip towards Sean’s groin.

 

Already, Nick could feel saliva pooling in his mouth, his lips parting automatically in anticipation. He wanted that cock in his mouth. Wanted to taste the other man, to trace his tongue along the ridges and veins of his cock, to lap at the head and swallow it down.

 

Nick groaned. His ass clenched, that ache to be filled throbbing within him – but he wasn’t ready to be fucked again. Not yet. His ass wasn’t wet enough – something he just _knew_ , instinct or whatever.

 

So instead, he opened his mouth.

 

Reaching Sean’s cock, Nick pressed open-mouthed kisses along the length, moaning at the taste that burst over his tongue. Fuck! He  could feel his heat rising, pulse racing. Closing his mouth over the tip, Nick sucked lightly, tongue darting out to flick at the slit, gathering any precum he could.

 

Sliding his lips down the length, Nick opened his mouth wide, throat relaxing, head tilting, as he swallowed Sean down. Face pressed against Sean’s groin, Nick grinned , slowly drawing back up his length, giving a soft hum as he did so.

 

Sean’s hands tightened their grip on his shoulders, and Nick relished in it – in the firm pressure against his skin, the solid knowledge he was being held by his alpha.

 

His mind buzzed with thoughts he didn’t fully understand – but he knew that whatever happened, following his instincts had so far given amazing results, so that was what he was going to go with.  He pushed his way back down Sean.

 

Feeling a slightly raised band of fleshed beneath his lips, Nick mouthed over it,  lips and tongue tracing it, trying to memorise the taste and feel. Sean shuddered, hands tightening spasmodically on his shoulders.

 

“Nick,” he gasped out.

 

Grinning, Nick sucked. Hard.

 

Those hands tightened once more, before dragging him backwards.

 

Pouting as that enormous cock fell from his lips, Nick stared up at Sean. He could guess how he looked – cheeks flushed, lips swollen and slick with spit and precum, mouth still open, panting to be filled.

 

“That,” Sean said, voice rough and strained, as though he was desperately holding himself back, “is my knot.”

 

Eyes widening, Nick glanced towards the other man’s cock. There was a band running around the base, a couple of inches wide – the band he’d felt inside his mouth.

 

Lifting a hand, he ran his fingers over it, feeling the flesh quiver beneath his touch.  He licked his lips. 

 

Leaning forward, Nick took Sean’s head back into his mouth, sucking around it as his hand curled over that band, rubbing gently.

 

“Nick,” Sean ground out.

 

Grinning, Nick sank down his length, letting Sean’s cock fill his mouth, before sliding down his throat. His lips pressed against the band, hand falling away as he swallowed the rest of Sean down.

 

Gasping, Sean’s hands tightened on Nick’s shoulders, before tugging him backwards.

 

“Nick,” he said, a hint of warning creeping into his voice.

 

Slightly confused, Nick drew up his length, ignoring the saliva that spilled from his mouth, clinging to his lips, as he drew away from Sean’s cock.

 

“Sean?” he asked.

 

Sean groaned, looking down at him. “If you keep that up,” he said, “my knot will inflate.”

 

Nick grinned. “Good,” he said, leaning forward to suck down Sean’s cock once more.

 

Sean’s hands on his shoulders halted him. “Not good,” Sean said.

 

Nick blinked at him.

 

“You do not want my knot in your mouth,” Sean warned.

 

Nick felt a gush of slick in his ass and he moaned, shifting on the shower seat. “I do,” he replied.

 

Sean shook his head. “It would keep your mouth open around it,” he said, “and we have no control over how long it would last.” Seeing Nick’s unconscious pout, he ran one hand through the grimm’s hair. “I do not wish to hurt you,” he said. “Besides,” he added, “don’t you want me to to knot your ass instead?”

 

Nick gasped, more slick coating his insides. “Yesss!” he hissed, leaning forward to press kisses against Sean’s cock. “Please, Sean!” he said. “Need you so much.”

 

A happy, rumbling chuckle sounded in Sean’s chest, and he pulled Nick upwards, letting the omega slide along the length of his body as he did so.

 

Moaning, half in disappointment and half in satisfaction, Nick placed kisses against Sean’s skin as he was dragged upwards, mouth seeking out Sean’s once he was standing. Pressing closer to the long stretch of naked skin that was the alpha, Nick hummed happily at the feel of Sean’s cock against his belly, Sean’s skin rubbing over his.

 

He had an urge to rub their bodies together.

 

Instinct.

 

Considering the fact that, so far, everything he’d thought was him being strange Sean had explained away as heat and had said was perfectly normal (not to mention got _great_ reactions from the other man), Nick decided to go with it.

 

Pressing against Sean, he twisted them around so the taller man was backed up towards the shower seat, pushing him into it. As soon as Sean was sitting, Nick climbed into his lap, rubbing his face and body against the other man’s.

 

Each press of their skin made his heat ratchet higher, but, enjoyable as it was, he wasn’t doing it for the pleasure. Instead, he felt a need to press himself all over the other man. To rub them together until, until…

 

“Scenting,” Sean murmured, hands coming up to run long fingers through Nick’s hair as he relaxed, shifting slightly to give Nick whatever access to him he wanted.

 

“Scenting?” Nick queried, rubbing his cheek over and over Sean’s neck.

 

“Scenting,” Sean agreed. “The instinctual desire to combine our scents – to mark a claim.”

 

He was right, Nick realised, breathing deeply. As soon as Sean mentioned it, he realised that was exactly what he was doing. He wanted to smell like the other man. And wanted Sean to smell like him. Like a combination of them.

 

Something wet trickled out of his ass, and Nick gasping, hole clenching as his heat rose once more.

 

Reaching down, Sean stroked his hand over Nick’s ass, fingers dipping lightly into his quivering hole, gathering some of the escaping slick. Lifting his hand, he licked his fingers.

 

Eyes wide, watching the other man, Nick groaned, feeling more slick flood his hole.

 

“Sean!” he gasped out.

 

Grinning, Sean stood, lifting the grimm easily in his arms. Nick let out a shocked sound, arms automatically going around Sean’s neck in order to steady himself. Sean glanced over at the shower taps – which twisted, turning themselves off.

 

Panting, Neck buried his face against Sean’s neck. “That’s so hot,” he muttered, licking the skin beneath his lips.

 

Chuckling, Sean moved them out of the shower. He stood for a few moments, letting them drip onto the bathmat, before turning and exiting the bathroom.

 

Glancing up, Nick saw that they were in Sean’s bedroom. He felt a shiver of anticipation mixed with delight run down his spine.

 

“You paused here, before,” Sean said, nodding towards the bed, “when you were claiming your Heat Territory. I thought perhaps you might wish to Nest here, but you didn’t.” He paused. Nick felt his pulse rate quicken, anticipation rising within him. “Did you want to want to Nest here, Nick?” Sean asked.

 

Moaning, Nick nodded, pushing himself out of Sean’s arms as he did so. Released, he dropped to the floor, eagerly padding forward towards the bed. He’d wanted to climb into Sean’s bed earlier, wanted to roll around in the scent of the other man – but had thought that behaviour too strange to be allowed.

 

But Sean was allowing him. Offering him whatever he wanted.

 

Nick swallowed. It was all part of his heat, he thought, and Sean didn’t seem to see anything strange about his heat. Or about these new instincts Nick was experiencing.

 

Reaching the edge of the bed, Nick leant forward, smoothing his hands over the covers. A soft wash of Sean’s scent rose up from the bedding, curling around his nose and enticing him further. Grinning, Nick lifted the side of the covers, slipping easily between the sheets and burrowing forward, a happy purr leaving his throat as he did so.

 

He was surrounded in Sean’s scent. Shifting, Nick rubbed his bare body against the sheets, rolling around in them, determined to cover himself in that scent, and leave his own behind, mixing with Sean’s.

 

Rubbing his face against the pillows – from cheek, to beneath his chin, to down his neck, Nick hummed happily. The bed was beginning to smell like him, too. Like him and Sean.

 

Once satisfied that he had rubbed against everything, Nick looked up, spotting Sean watching him. The alpha stood, easy and confident in his nakedness, eyes warm with something as he watched Nick claim his bed.

 

Nick pouted. “Are you coming?” he asked.

 

“Would you like me to?” was the other man’s reply.

 

Nick scowled at him. “Sean,” he said, “if you don’t get in here -”

 

Whatever else he would have said was cut off as Sean pounced at him, pressing Nick back against the bed as his weight settled over the omega.

 

Laughing, Nick tilted his head up for a kiss, humming happily as Sean obliged him. As he did so, however, he felt something stir within him. A different kind of desire. Not quite heat, not exactly, though it felt as though it was caught up in it all.

 

He wanted the alpha to prove himself.

 

To prove himself strong enough. Fast enough. To prove he could hold Nick down and protect him.

 

Gasping, Nick focused on that strange feeling. On the thoughts and desires rising within him. He wanted, he realised, to be caught.

 

Smirking up at the alpha above him, Nick twisted. Sliding from Sean’s grip, he rolled out of the bed, landing lightly on his feet on the other side. Sean lifted himself up on his arms, turning to look at Nick. The flushed, excited look on the omega’s face made his breath catch in his throat.

 

They were going to Chase, he realised.

 

Flashing him a grin, Nick dove to the side, darting past Sean’s outstretched arms as Sean threw himself along the bed, trying to catch the other man. Skidding out the doorway of the room, Nick laughed as he pounded down the hallway, then took the steps a few at a time.

 

He skidded as he reached the bottom, head swivelling, trying to determine where it would be best to run next. A growl sounded behind him.

 

Glancing backwards, Nick saw the alpha rapidly approaching, eyes flashing with power and desire. He shivered in anticipation at the look. But he wasn’t caught yet.

 

Turning, he darted into the living room, skirting the couch in order to place it between himself and the approaching alpha.

 

Sean let out another low growl. His blood pounded through his veins, and he could feel his instincts push him towards a rut. There was nothing quite as good at turning on an alpha’s libido or instincts as a Chase.

 

He could see his omega before him, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he watched the approaching alpha, body tense, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

 

There was a couch between them. A couch that smelt… like them. Sean breathed in deeply, grinning at the olfactory proof that the omega would be his. Would submit to him. All Sean had to do was Catch him.

 

He stalked forward, eyes never leaving his omega’s form.

 

With a laugh, Nick spun away as Sean lunged, turning to keep the couch between them. One of the alpha’s long fingers brushed against his arm, and Nick shivered in delight. He darted towards the side of the room, Sean hot on his heels, before changing direction.

 

Sean followed the omega, smile curving over his face as he felt himself get closer. It wouldn’t take much. He was taller, his legs longer. Just a little faster and he’d have his omega within his grasp.

 

Finding himself trapped in the kitchen, Nick dashed to the side, leaping up and sliding over the kitchen counter, rolling as he hit the floor and came up running.

 

There was a snarl behind him, fingers brushed against his back.

 

Nick turned, placing the couch between them once more.

 

But the alpha didn’t stop. Leaping over the couch, Sean reached out, arms latching onto his wayward omega. The momentum of his jump had him spinning around, throwing the full force of his weight and momentum into sending Nick crashing backwards, onto the couch.

 

Hitting the couch with an _Oomph!_ air knocked out of him, Nick wriggled, pressing back against Sean.

  
Twisting, he managed to get his arms beneath him, lifting himself upwards as he tried to crawl over the couch and out from underneath the alpha. But Sean’s hands clamped down around his hips, latching tight and dragging him backwards, placing him beneath the other man once more.

 

Struggling, Nick kicked out, only to have his legs pushed aside, then held down by the weight against him. Long, strong legs pressed against his own, holding him down.

 

He scrabbled with his hands against the other man, only to have them captured, pressed down against the couch beneath them as the alpha leant forward, breath washing over Nick’s face as he spoke.

 

“You’re _mine_ ,” he growled.

 

Immediately, a wash of _want_ and _heat_ crashed over Nick, stealing his breath away and coating his ass in slick. A heady scent filled the air, a scent he somehow knew was coming from him. A scent that showed his arousal, the evidence of his slick – his body preparing itself to be taken.

 

But still…

 

Smirking, he snarled up at Sean. “Prove it!” he demanded.

 

The world spun.

 

When it righted itself, Nick found the alpha had stood, tossing the omega over his shoulder easily as he moved towards the staircase. Nick’s eyes focused on the firm butt swaying just beneath him and he snarled. His hands were trapped together in one larger hand, keeping his arms beneath him and immobile.

 

Wriggling, he tilted himself downwards, baring his teeth as he did so. He was so close!

 

Shifting as the omega wriggled, Sean kept one hand clasped around Nick’s, the other arm lifting up to clamp down over the omega’s thighs, keeping him from falling down Sean’s back. Nick’s cock was pressed against Sean’s shoulder, slick running from his quivering hole to trail down his thighs and lick against Sean’s arm where it held him steady.

 

Twisting, Nick bit down.

 

A snarl greeted him in reply, Sean bouncing the omega as he jogged up the last few stairs. Turning his face to where the grimm’s ass bounced on his shoulder, Sean sank his own teeth into the pale flesh.

 

Hissing at the sharp arousal and pleasure that shot through him from Sean’s teeth in his ass, Nick pressed harder down against his own mouthful, worrying at the skin beneath. He wanted to leave a mark behind. To show this alpha was his.

 

Sean mirrored his actions on the grimm’s own ass, lips and teeth and tongue working at the flesh beneath them. He could feel the heat of blood rushing beneath the skin, a mark forming, so he released his mouthful.

 

Entering the bedroom, Sean grinned. The combined scents of himself and his omega flowed out from the bed. Jostling the omega on his shoulder, he felt Nick let go of his own mouthful of Sean’s ass.

 

So he tossed him onto the bed.

 

Landing hard, Nick bounced, snarling as he glared up at the alpha standing before him. The taste of the alpha’s skin was still in his mouth and he licked his lips with a feral grin, eyes sweeping over the form before him.

 

Long, smooth expanses of supple skin, curves and dips of muscles, a thick cock already standing erect, ready to be used. The other man was the epitome of what an alpha should be.

 

That didn’t mean Nick was going to make it easy on him.

 

Sean stalked forward, movements smooth and sure, eyes never leaving the omega on the bed. His omega.

 

Seeing the approaching alpha, Nick scooted backwards, sliding up the bed. He tensed, ready to leap away.

 

Sean pounced. His arms snapped out, grabbing hold of the omega’s ankles as he tried to scramble away, dragging him backwards by his grip on those legs, before transferring his hands to Nick’s hips.

 

Wriggling and snarling, Nick fought to get away. His ass ached, empty and desperate to be filled. His skin was on fire, so heated with warmth and sensation.

 

But he had to make the alpha prove himself. Had to make him work for it.

 

Pressing his weight down against the thrashing omega, Sean using his legs to trap Nick’s own – much as he had on the couch. Snatching up the hands that beat against his chest, no doubt leaving bruises with their grimm strength, Sean pressed them to the bed above the omega’s head.

 

Leaning down, he let his breath wash over the omega’s face, carrying his scent with it. Dipping his head, he nosed along the line of the omega’s neck, pausing for a moment in the curve where neck met shoulder – where the Bonding gland was situated.

 

But something held him back. A whisper in the back of his mind. Not yet.

 

Nick bucked, tossing Sean away from him as he rolled onto his stomach, before crawling for the edge of the bed.

 

Immediately, Sean was up and on him, large hands curving over the omega’s hips and dragging him backwards, pulling him beneath Sean’s body.

 

Nick’s bare ass pressed back against Sean’s cock, and he mewled, body shaking.

 

Dropping his upper body weight against the omega’s shoulders, Sean bore his upper body down to the bed, holding him still simply by covering him completely with his own body.

 

“Submit,” he growled into the omega’s ear.

 

Beneath him, Nick snarled, thrashing as he tried to gain purchase, to move away, escape. He couldn’t.

 

“Submit,” the alpha repeated, breath washing over Nick’s ear and cheek.

 

He bucked upwards, one last attempt. The alpha didn’t budge.

 

Panting, Nick relaxed his body. Submitting. The alpha had proved himself.

 

Feeling Nick submit, Sean raised himself upwards, removing his weight and the pressure pushing the omega down into the bed. Dipping his head, he nuzzled against the side of Nick’s neck, pressing soft kisses there.

 

Beneath him, Nick wriggled once more – this time in delight. Wriggling that had the added benefit of pressing his ass back against his alpha’s cock.

 

“Yessss!” Nick hissed out, feeling his ass clench, slick sliding from his hole in preparation for being fucked, heat rapidly rising once more.

 

Above him, Sean held himself back. “Do you want this?” he asked. He knew, instinctually, that Nick’s attempts to get away had been nothing more than omega instincts pushing him to make the alpha prove himself. Knew from the happy, anticipatory scents that wafted from the omega through the entire chase that it was something he wanted. That he _wanted_ to be caught.

 

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t still going to ask. To make sure.

 

He knew how new this all was to the grimm.

 

“Do you want this?” he repeated.

 

“Yes!” Nick gasped out, ass pressing backwards, rubbing against the hard cock behind him. “Please. Sean,” he panted. “Need you. Need your cock. Need.”

 

Rumbling happily, Sean caught the grimm’s lips with his own as the omega glanced back at him over his shoulder. Pressing into the kiss, Sean pushed his tongue into Nick’s mouth as the omega’s lips parted beneath his own.

 

Mewling, Nick felt the alpha’s tongue swirl around his mouth, mapping it out, memorising it. He was so hot. So hot and so empty. His ass clenched.

 

“Please!” he gasped out, tearing his mouth away from Sean’s. Pressing his shoulders to the mattress beneath him, Nick arched his back, thrusting his ass up towards Sean, presenting himself. He wanted to be fucked. And he wanted to be fucked now.

 

Hissing in delight at the way the omega’s body sank into position, begging him for what he wanted, Sean pressed kisses along the back of Nick’s neck and down his back. Tonguing along the omega’s spine, Sean followed it down, tracing his way to the curve where spine met ass.

 

Nick had dimples, he realised, sitting just above his buttocks, one on each side. Dimples that Sean pressed his tongue into, tasting them.

 

Beneath him, Nick writhed.

 

“Sean!” he gasped out, more slick trickling from his hole.

 

Sliding further down, Sean pressed his face between Nick’s cheeks, seeking the source of that delightful scent – omega in heat. Nick’s slick slid over his face, coating him, as Sean licked a stripe over the omega’s quivering hole.

 

Nick, gasped, body shaking.

 

“Sean!” he moaned. “Please!”

 

A warm, wet tongue slipped inside him, twirling around and gathering his slick. Nick shuddered. It was so good. But not quite enough.

 

“More. Please,” he panted.

 

Drawing back, Sean growled softly. He was hard and aching, desperate to plunge himself into the willing omega beneath him.

 

“What do you want?” he asked.

 

Nick groaned, ass hitching higher as he tried to press back towards the alpha above him. “Please,” he gasped out. “You. Need you. In me.”

 

Sean surged forward, sliding back over over his omega’s body as he moved into position. His cock pulsed, eager to feel that tight heat surrounding him.

 

“Are you sure?” he asked, draping himself over the omega’s back, lips by his ear.

 

A soft whine fell from Nick’s lips, his ass clenched.

 

“Yesss!” he hissed.

 

“You’ll be tight,” Sean warned, fingers sliding over the omega’s hip to dip into his crack, teasing against his hole.

 

“Please,” Nick gasped. “Need you. Now.” He was hot and empty and aching – he needed to be filled.

 

Sean’s fingers drifted away. Nick whined, trying to chase them.

 

Then there was something large and blunt pressing against his hole, seeking entrance. With a cry of delight, Nick pressed backwards, forcing himself open around Sean’s cock.

 

He was tight. Tight and hot and oh so ready, opening up before the pressure of Sean’s cock, ass greedily trying to draw the other man in.

 

Hissing, Sean sank into his omega, revelling in the feel of all that tight, wet, heat around him. Ass muscles made flexible with heat, and eased with slick, Nick took him eagerly, pressing back towards Sean.

 

Moaning as he felt the alpha bottom out, Nick squeezed his ass around him, tightening his muscles rhythmically. He wanted Sean’s knot. Wanted that band of flesh to inflate, pressing inside him and holding them together.

 

Drawing back, Sean thrust forward, pounding deep into his omega. He wanted Nick to feel him in every part of his being. To never be able to forget what it felt like to be taken by the alpha.

 

Nick pressed back towards Sean’s thrusts, meeting each one. Wordless sounds fell from his mouth, slick gushing between them.

 

He was so hot. So hot and so wet and so _ready_.

 

But he needed more.

 

Something else.

 

Sean’s cock scraped over his prostate, causing Nick to cry out in delight, tilting his hips to get a better angle, to open himself up for the other man.

 

Grunting, Sean pressed forward, feeling the tingling round the base of his cock that meant his knot was close.

 

Twisting his head, Nick tried to kiss the alpha, whining in frustration when his lips glanced off shoulders and arms but didn’t reach the alpha’s mouth. Shifting, he twisted his whole body, legs moving.

 

Grasping hold of the omega’s hips, Sean tried to still him, unsure of just what Nick was attempting to do.

 

Nick whined.

 

“Wanna, wanna see you,” he gasped out.

 

Immediately, Sean spun him, drawing out of Nick’s ass as he did so. Tossing the omega onto his back on the bed, he grabbed Nick’s legs, pulling them apart and up as he thrust back into him.

 

Nick cried out, back arching, legs hooking over Sean’s waist and shoulder, pulling the alpha towards him while dragging himself closer as well.

 

Their hips met in a frenzied thrust.

 

Lifting his head, Nick sought Sean’s lips, catching hold and coaxing them open. The taste of the other man – of alpha – burst over his tongue, and he moaned.

 

His ass clenched.

 

Sean thrust in, feeling his knot begin to inflate.

 

A few more thrusts, and then they were tied together, unable to do more than writhe and twist, shallow thrusts against each other, Sean’s knot quickly growing between them, forcing itself into Nick’s ass, holding them together.

 

Moaning around the delicious pressure that filled him, Nick pressed kisses against Sean’s face, anywhere he could reach. This. This was what he needed.

 

A clench of his ass.

 

Then Sean was pulsing inside him, shooting his cum deep into the omega, where it sloshed around, trapping inside by his knot.

 

Crying out at the warm spray of cum, Nick felt his own release shoot out of him, spraying between them and coating their chests. He writhed against Sean, overcome by pleasure.

 

When slowly he came back to himself, Nick found himself flat on his back, the heavy weight of the alpha pressing him down. Sean’s knot was in him, large and firm and immovable, holding them together.

 

Clenching against it, Nick hummed happily. He hoped it lasted for a long time.

 

He felt light and floaty, awash with pleasure. His heat had calmed, dying back down to a low smoulder, nothing he had to worry about right then, leaving him simply able to enjoy himself.

 

“Thank you,” he murmured, finding his voice.

 

Above him, Sean chuckled. “Thank _you_ ,” he replied. He nuzzled into the omega’s neck, drawing in the scent of sated omega happily.

 

Shifting, just in order to feel Sean’s knot press against him, Nick grinned. He felt relaxed and lethargic – but not like sleeping.

 

No, he realised, instead, he wanted to rub against Sean. To press his cum, spilled between them, against the other man’s skin. To touch him. And lick him. All over.

 

He moaned.

 

“Nick?”

 

“Want to touch you,” he gasped out. “Lick you.” His hand lifted, sliding between them to gather his cooling release, rubbing it against Sean’s chest. “Want to make you smell like me,” he said.

 

Sean hummed happily. “I have no objections,” he replied.

 

Laughing, Nick surged upwards, kissing him, before trailing his lips and tongue along Sean’s jaw. Over his face. Down his neck. He took his time, mouth licking and kissing and nipping, determined to taste every inch of the alpha’s skin. At the same time, his hands pressed against Sean, touching and feeling and rubbing.

 

He made his way down Sean’s body, hindered slightly by the alpha’s knot in his ass. But Nick was flexible, and did what he could, licking and touching and kissing until he was satisfied he’d reached all the skin that he could.

 

“My turn,” Sean said, as Nick settled back with a sigh.

 

Grinning, he leant down, proceeding to give his omega the very same treatment Nick had just given him. Lips and tongue caressed, teeth nipped, and hands touched. Learning each curve of muscle, each place the skin was more sensitive than others. Where and how to press and touch to bring sighs and exclamations from the omega’s lips.

 

Until Nick was covered in his scent, just as he was covered in Nick’s.

 

Around them, their combined scent rose from the bedding, almost visible – so heavy it hung in the air.

 

Nick snuggled into Sean, wrapping his arms and legs around the alpha, even though he knew the other man couldn’t leave. Couldn’t go anywhere – not while they were tied together.

 

“Is it always like this?” he asked drowsily, rubbing his face against Sean’s chest. He wasn’t tired, but he was drifting, floating on pleasure and comfort.

 

Sean hummed in reply. “I don’t know,” he said. “I assume so.”

 

Nick blinked, looking up at him. “You don’t know?”

 

Sean chuckled. “This _is_ my first time spending heat with an omega,” he replied.

 

Nick grinned at that, feeling inordinately pleased with himself. “Good,” he declared.

 

 

 

They lay like that for some time, each simply drifting contentedly in the scent and feel of the other.

 

Finally, Nick forced his thoughts back towards awareness, limbs tightening around his alpha.

 

“So,” he said, “is there anything else I should know?”

 

Above him, Sean stirred, taking a few moments to gather his thoughts. “What do you mean?” he asked.

 

“Well,” said Nick, “about, you know, being an omega? I mean, the heat has been… amazing… but will it affect anything else? Will these instincts last? Or will they fade away with my heat? Will I suddenly start wanting to rub myself all over you at work? Or is that just part of heat? Will I get slick outside of heat? And,” he added, making sure to catch Sean’s eyes, to show him how serious he was about this. “Will you still want me once my heat is over? When these pheromones are gone?”


End file.
